Gezicht op Korinthe 1845

"Gezicht op Korinthe," or "View of Corinth," was etched by Claude-Félix-Théodore Caruelle d'Aligny. The pale sepia ink defines architectural forms and jagged, chaotic stonework to evoke a simultaneous sense of grandeur and desolation. The composition is bisected between the architectural remains on the left and a rock formation on the right. D'Aligny employs linear perspective to draw our eye from the rubble in the foreground towards the temple ruins, destabilizing classical ideals through an emphasis on decay. The etching presents a semiotic interplay between the cultural signs of classical architecture and the natural, almost geological forms of the landscape. Notice how the incised lines create depth, but also flatten the image, challenging fixed perspectives. The ruin becomes a sign, laden with meanings of loss, memory, and the passage of time. It compels us to contemplate how these ruins engage with our contemporary understanding of history and representation.