De dood van Germanicus 1744 - 1802

Gaetano Gandolfi created this print titled 'The Death of Germanicus' sometime between 1734 and 1802. Gandolfi, working in Bologna, Italy, lived in a time when artistic expression was often intertwined with political commentary. This print depicts the death of Germanicus, a popular Roman general, and it uses a classical narrative to explore themes of power, morality, and justice. The scene is charged with emotion, as his family and soldiers mourn his death, and it invites us to reflect on the nature of leadership and the consequences of ambition. How do we judge historical figures, and how much are our perceptions colored by the narratives that are passed down through generations? Gandolfi’s work pushes us to consider the emotional and ethical dimensions of historical events, reminding us that the stories we tell about the past are never simple or neutral. They are always shaped by the values and perspectives of the present.