Classical Landscape with Ruins (recto); Two men in Roman military dress (verso) 1755 - 1757

This is Robert Adam's pen and gray ink wash drawing, "Classical Landscape with Ruins." Adam, a prominent 18th-century Scottish architect, was deeply influenced by his travels in Italy, where he studied ancient Roman architecture. In this drawing, Adam captures the allure of the past, presenting classical ruins not as symbols of decay, but as sources of inspiration. The remnants of grand structures evoke a sense of history. Consider how the ruins might represent a longing for the perceived order and grandeur of the Roman Empire. These ruins, however, were also sites of colonial encounter, of power and knowledge. Adam's interest in classical architecture was intertwined with the expansion of the British Empire. How might the beauty that Adam finds here obscure a more complex narrative of appropriation and power? The drawing prompts us to reflect on the layers of meaning embedded in these landscapes, and our own relationship to history.