Gezicht op de ruïnes van het Septizonium, te Rome c. 1640 - 1660

Nicolas Perelle created this print, titled 'View of the Ruins of the Septizonium in Rome,' sometime in the 17th century. Perelle was part of a generation of artists who, in response to the upheavals of the reformation and counter-reformation, looked back to classical antiquity for order and reason. In this print, Perelle presents a romanticized view of the ruins. The crumbling Septizonium, once a symbol of Roman imperial power, now stands as a picturesque ruin, softened by time and nature. Small figures populate the foreground and middle distance, rendered anonymous against the grandeur of the architecture. They are a reminder of the human scale against the backdrop of history. Prints like these circulated widely, shaping perceptions of Rome and its history. They evoke a sense of melancholy, meditating on the transience of human achievement. Despite the grandeur of the Roman Empire, all that remains are evocative ruins which speak to the rise and fall of civilizations.