Blick auf das Albaner Gebirge 

Ludwig Metz rendered this view of the Alban Hills with pencil and gray wash. The broken arches and ruined walls depicted are visual codes that reflect the complex politics of imagery. In nineteenth-century Europe, the ruins of Rome were potent symbols, evoking the grandeur of a lost empire. Artists, writers, and architects were fascinated by the visible remains of Roman civilization and used them to reflect on the rise and fall of power. The view shown here became a popular subject for Northern European artists. They would travel south, often with institutional support, to sketch and paint the Italian landscape, a tradition known at the time as "plein air." The rediscovery of classical antiquity was a driving force behind the Neoclassical movement and was a powerful influence on the art academies. Historical research can tell us more about the artist's social position and the complex cultural context that shaped his work.