Colosseum set udefra 1730 - 1793

Jens Petersen Lund created this sepia drawing of the Colosseum during the late 18th century. Lund, born in Denmark, positions himself within a long lineage of European artists drawn to Rome's architectural grandeur. The Colosseum, initially a site of spectacle and violence in ancient Rome, has accrued layers of meaning over centuries. Lund’s rendering comes at a time when the ruin was a popular subject in the Grand Tour, often romanticized as a symbol of both the glory and the fall of empires. While Lund’s drawing captures the Colosseum’s physical decay, it also speaks to a broader cultural fascination with ruins. What does it mean to look at the remnants of a structure built on conquest and enslavement? By presenting the Colosseum as a picturesque ruin, Lund invites viewers to reflect on time, history, and the complex layers of power embedded within the landscape.