Veduta of the Aqueduct and Aranciera of the Villa Borghese, Rome 

Ippolito Caffi created this veduta of the Aqueduct and Aranciera of the Villa Borghese in Rome using ink and wash. The monochromatic palette of sepia tones washes over the architectural forms and foliage, creating a unified, atmospheric effect. The linear perspective draws our eye towards the buildings, but the composition is subtly destabilized by the asymmetrical placement of the trees. The contrast between the ordered architecture and the organic forms of nature reflects a tension between the classical and romantic ideals prevalent in the 19th century. Caffi's use of wash blurs the precise contours of the buildings, softening their structural rigidity. This technique invites us to consider the interplay between representation and abstraction, suggesting that what we see is always mediated through the artist's subjective lens. The veduta is not just a record, but an interpretation.