Sevastopol aqueduct in the gully Ushakovskaya 1850

Lev Lagorio created this watercolour painting of the Sevastopol aqueduct in the gully Ushakovskaya. In this peaceful scene, Lagorio depicts both nature and infrastructure. The aqueduct speaks to Russia's growing need to provide resources to a population spread across a vast territory, while its construction also indicates the engineering prowess of the imperial project. The aqueduct could also be a reference to ancient Roman aqueducts as a symbol of imperial power and civilization. Lagorio was affiliated with the Russian art academy, an institution that sought to define Russia's place in the world through art. Watercolours like this were often used for topographical surveys or to document construction projects. To fully understand this painting, we could consult the archives of engineering firms, or the records of institutions such as the art academy. Paintings like this one remind us that art is always made within a specific social and institutional context.