View of the Ponte Rotto in Rome, Seen from the East c. 1636 - 1644

Jan Asselijn made this drawing of the Ponte Rotto in Rome with pen and grey ink and grey wash. The Ponte Rotto, or broken bridge, presents us with a unique perspective on the passage of time and the endurance of history, particularly in the context of 17th-century Rome. Asselijn, a Dutch artist working in Italy, captured the bridge in a state of decay, a ruin that once symbolized Roman engineering prowess. This brokenness invites reflections on the transience of power and the impact of both natural and human forces on cultural monuments. The bridge stands not only as a physical structure but as a metaphor for the fractures within society and the inevitable decline that follows periods of great prosperity. The Ponte Rotto, in its fragmented state, offers a poignant commentary on resilience. While it no longer serves its original purpose, it remains a landmark, a testament to the layered histories embedded in the Roman landscape.