Gezicht op de Colle Celio vanaf de Palatijn, met tekenende kunstenaar omringd door toeristen 1825

Bartolomeo Pinelli captured this view of Colle Celio from the Palatine Hill in a detailed engraving. At its heart lies a motif as old as civilization itself: the ruin. See how Pinelli renders the crumbling architecture with such care, almost as if he’s documenting a living being in its final stages. This interest in ruins connects us to a long tradition; medieval artists depicted the remains of classical buildings as symbols of a bygone era, a reminder of the transience of earthly power. The ruin is not merely a depiction of decay, it is a symbol. Psychologically, it touches on our anxieties about mortality and the inevitable decline of all things. Yet, it also ignites a sense of wonder. Just as the Greeks and Romans before us, we find ourselves drawn to these fragments of the past, seeking to understand what they can tell us about ourselves. Like a phoenix rising from ashes, the ruin becomes fertile ground for new growth and understanding. It's a symbol that continues its cyclical progression throughout history, and a reminder of the continuous interplay between past and present.