Ancient ruins 

This red chalk drawing of ancient ruins was made by the Italian artist Marco Ricci, sometime before his death in 1730. Ricci was part of a generation of Venetian artists who, by the late 17th century, increasingly turned to landscape as a primary subject. In this sketch, we see more than a depiction of crumbling architecture. Ricci invites us to contemplate themes of time, memory, and the transience of human endeavor. During the 17th and 18th centuries, ruins became powerful symbols, embodying the decline of past civilizations, and prompting reflections on the fleeting nature of power. Ricci’s choice of red chalk lends the scene a warmth that softens the decay. The sketch serves not only as a landscape study but also as an emotional exploration of the past, and it evokes feelings of melancholy, and perhaps even a sense of hope.