Rome, viewed from the Aventine, a painting by the British artist William Turner, was recently displayed in Rome ahead of its upcoming auction. The artwork, first shown in 1836, has only changed hands twice since its creation and remains in nearly original condition, including the artist's fingerprints and bristles from his brush. Julian Gascoigne, a senior painting specialist at Sotheby's, described the piece as "exceptional," noting that it is as vivid and three-dimensional today as when Turner first applied the paint to the canvas. The painting was unveiled at the Palazzo Rondinini, a historic baroque building in central Rome, before being put up for auction in December in London. Turner's technique involved applying oil paint in a way typical of a watercolorist, using translucent layers to create a soft, misty effect. This approach influenced later artists like the French Impressionist Claude Monet. Gascoigne highlighted that the painting has never been cleaned or relined and remains on its original frame. This preservation makes the work a rare example of Turner's original brushwork and personal touch. The painting will be on public display for three days in Rome before traveling to Hong Kong and New York. The auction is scheduled for December 9 in London, where Sotheby's estimates the piece could sell for around 50 million pounds (58 million euros). If sold, it would break the previous auction record for a Turner painting, which was set in 2014 at 35.3 million euros. Commissioned by Hugh Andrew Johnstone Munro of Novar, a patron of Turner, the painting was later acquired by Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, who later became a British prime minister. It remained in the Rosebery family until its sale in 2014. Mario Tavella, president of Sotheby's Europe, expressed hope that the painting would eventually be housed in a public museum. Regarding security, Tavella assured that "all necessary precautions" had been taken to protect the artwork from damage or theft, citing Sotheby's established protocols for safeguarding valuable pieces.