Appius Claudius bij Aziatische vorst 1819

Bartolomeo Pinelli made this line drawing, "Appius Claudius bij Aziatische vorst," sometime in the early 19th century. The work depicts a Roman emissary before a vaguely rendered Asian monarch in a scene of political negotiation. Pinelli made his name producing images of Roman history and folklore for a growing tourist market in the city. This drawing evokes the artist's understanding of power relations in the ancient world. The Roman figure strides forward and gestures outwards. His confident bearing contrasts with the seated monarch whose regalia and attendants represent eastern opulence, and, perhaps, the threat of oriental despotism. In its own time, this image would have contributed to a discourse of cultural superiority, one that was used to justify European colonialism. To fully understand this drawing, we might consult contemporary histories, travel writing, and political theory. These resources help us understand the conditions in which such an image could be made and consumed.