Roman Ruins 1845

Alexandre Calame created this etching, titled "Roman Ruins," in 1845. It is a romantic depiction of the remains of Roman civilization. Calame was Swiss, but many artists from Northern Europe travelled to Italy to see the ruins. By the nineteenth century, Rome was a popular destination for artists seeking to connect with classical antiquity and the foundations of Western art. But this print also speaks to broader questions of how artists in developing nations looked to other cultural centres such as Paris or Rome. They struggled to assert their own identities in relation to these dominant artistic traditions. This image creates meaning through its visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. We can deepen our understanding of it by looking at travelogues and guidebooks of the period as well as thinking about the institutional history of art academies. Ultimately, the meaning of this artwork is contingent on its historical, social, and institutional context.