View of an Ancient Roman Bridge with a Mascaroon c. 1785 - 1789

Victor Jean Nicolle created this watercolor and pen and ink drawing, titled *View of an Ancient Roman Bridge with a Mascaroon*, sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. Nicolle, living in a time of revolution and change, often depicted architectural scenes with people integrated into the landscape. His work reflects an interest in classical antiquity, a common theme during the Neoclassical period, as well as the impact of historical structures on the everyday lives of people. The artist uses the Mascaroon, a grotesque face that's fixed above the arch, to provoke both fear and fascination. The figures in the foreground are rendered in a way that emphasizes their humanity and gives a sense of scale to the monumental architecture. These figures seem to be resting or working, which emphasizes a blending of past and present, as the ancient bridge continues to function as a space for contemporary life. In this drawing, Nicolle captures not just a physical place, but the layers of time and culture. The emotional resonance is found in the relationship between the ancient and the contemporary, the monumental and the everyday.