Monument of Philopappos 1890

Themistocles von Eckenbrecher made this drawing of the Monument of Philopappos using ink on paper. The choice of materials is crucial to understanding this image. Eckenbrecher was no stonemason, and his use of drawing is a reminder that the monument itself was constructed by skilled laborers, quarrying and carving stone, raising it into place. The drawing is a study of this colossal monument, a Roman-era tomb, that honors Gaius Julius Antiochus Epiphanes Philopappos, a prince from the Kingdom of Commagene. The monument, built from marble, stands as a testament to the enduring power of craftsmanship. The monochrome ink gives the monument a sense of being frozen in time, an artifact of history. The artist is dwarfed by the monument, a symbol of the labor and skill required to create such structures. The choice of ink, a medium associated with documentation, underscores the historical value of the monument. Looking closely at the materials and the way they are used here helps us to appreciate the distinction, and the essential connection, between art and craft.