Een Romeinse villa 1778 - 1839

Hendrik Voogd made this pencil drawing of a Roman villa at an unknown date. Here, we see buildings crowded together in a bird’s eye view. Sunlight gently illuminates the facades and tiled roofs. Voogd was Dutch, but he spent much of his career in Rome. His landscapes reflect a Northern European fascination with the Italian countryside and the picturesque qualities of ancient Roman ruins. From the late 18th century onward, Rome was a popular destination for artists from across Europe who were eager to sketch the ancient sites. We can learn much about the social history of art by exploring the sketchbooks and travel diaries of artists like Voogd. These works help us to understand the cultural values that shaped the artistic imagination of the time.