A Reconstruction of the Arch of Septimius Severus 1690 - 1704

This drawing of a reconstructed Arch of Septimius Severus was made by Jan Goeree around the late 17th or early 18th century, using pen, brown ink, and gray wash on paper. The monumentality of the Arch is carefully depicted through a methodical approach. The precision in the ink drawing and the tonal variations of the gray wash define the Arch’s architectural structure and ornamentations. It is easy to imagine Goeree carefully measuring and sketching, and painstakingly filling in the tones of the gray wash. Yet it is important to remember that the image is not the object itself. It is a product of labor, like the stonemason’s work on the original arch. It is the work of an artist to represent and bring the Arch of Septimius Severus to life for a contemporary audience. Paying attention to the materials, production and the artistic decisions enriches our understanding and appreciation of this artwork, and its place within the artistic and cultural landscape of its time.