Rome, the Tiber 

Curator: Ferdinand Becker's "Rome, the Tiber" at the Tate. It’s a beautiful, albeit small, ink drawing. Editor: It has such a quiet, almost melancholic feel to it, doesn’t it? The muted tones, the subtle rendering of the light… Curator: Yes, it perfectly captures that Romantic era sensibility—the beauty found in the everyday, the slightly tragic air. Becker was a student of Koch, and you can see the influence in his landscape style, his devotion to representing Rome’s iconic sites. Editor: It’s interesting how the architecture almost fades into the sky, while the figures in the foreground are so clearly defined. The two figures pulling the boat… what does it signify? Curator: Perhaps the work and struggle that supports even the most picturesque scenes? Or the tension between the classical ideals of Rome and the lived reality of its inhabitants. It feels like he's inviting us to look deeper. Editor: Perhaps so. It’s a beautifully rendered work, and I feel like I've stepped into Becker’s quiet vision of Rome. Curator: Yes, it offers a rare glimpse of the everyday life along the Tiber River. It’s a subtle but powerful statement.