The mausoleum at Halicarnassus 17th century

This engraving depicts the mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Though the artist is unknown, its presence in the collection of the SMK suggests a Northern European origin, likely dating to the 16th or 17th century, when interest in classical antiquity was high. The print shows us not only the form of the tomb but also a staged scene. We see the figure of Queen Artemisia, for whom the mausoleum was built, waited on by servants. Meanwhile, other figures, dressed in what Europeans of the time would have imagined as vaguely ‘eastern’ garb, dismantle the structure. In this way, the image reflects the ambivalent attitude of early modern Europe towards the monuments of antiquity: veneration mixed with a desire to plunder and dissect. Understanding this image requires us to consider the role of the museum as an institution in shaping our view of the past, through research into collections and the cultures that produced them.