View of Church and Ruins n.d.

Curator: This is a drawing titled "View of Church and Ruins" by Giovanni Francesco Grimaldi. It's undated, but it’s currently held at The Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: The mood strikes me as somewhat melancholy, a sort of pondering over lost grandeur. The washes are delicately applied and that thin line gives it such refinement. Curator: I see how the pen and ink, coupled with that light paper, give it that ethereal quality. Think about where this paper was produced, the labor involved, the economic structure supporting such artistic creation...It's fascinating! Editor: Indeed. And that very lightness underscores the weight of the imagery itself. Note the church standing strong, its windows echoing the arched openings of the ruined structures beneath it. They could symbolize faith standing tall in the face of fallen empires. Curator: Perhaps the church endured, thanks to shifts in power and resources. It also could suggest the consumption of older architectural forms; it's built quite literally on the foundation of what came before. I’m wondering about the pigments in that ink too! Editor: You make a persuasive point. The ruined amphitheater certainly adds to the sense of past glory. Consider the Roman idea of spectacle—the games, the gatherings, then, silence. A very potent cultural symbol is used there. Curator: I find myself thinking about Grimaldi's access to those very specific inks, perhaps traded internationally... these material details are themselves revealing. Editor: It's amazing how he managed to do so much with simple drawing implement and paper to achieve such an enduring meditation on the passage of time, all from such simple symbols. Curator: Absolutely. This has given me new angles to consider when reflecting upon this artist's production! Editor: Agreed! Examining art in layers, considering the iconography along with the tangible aspects always provides depth.