A Reconstruction of the Mausoleum of Augustus (above) and a View of the Ruins (below) 1690 - 1704

Editor: Here we have Jan Goeree’s "A Reconstruction of the Mausoleum of Augustus (above) and a View of the Ruins (below)," created between 1690 and 1704. It’s an engraving, contrasting an ideal past with a crumbling present. What visual elements strike you most? Curator: The bifurcated composition is indeed the initial focal point. Note the upper register’s pristine architectural rendering, meticulously detailed and symmetrically arranged. Contrast this with the lower register, dominated by fragmentation and a palpable sense of decay. Observe how Goeree utilizes line weight: precise and unwavering above, looser and more gestural below. Editor: So, the formal qualities really emphasize the difference between then and now. Curator: Precisely. The upper image projects an aura of permanence, reinforced by the strong verticality and the ordered tiers. The lower scene introduces a horizontal emphasis, destabilizing the composition and alluding to temporality. Furthermore, consider the use of light and shadow. In the reconstruction, light is evenly distributed, revealing every aspect of the structure. Below, shadow dominates, obscuring details and suggesting incompleteness. What do you notice about the figure in the lower half? Editor: She seems like a classical figure, maybe representing Rome itself? Her gaze is downcast. Curator: Indeed. She introduces a figural element, and what that communicates via contrast when compared with the clean reconstruction. Goeree expertly employs formal devices to convey themes of transience and the inevitable erosion of even the grandest achievements. Do you think that changes our relationship with the image itself? Editor: That’s a strong observation! Seeing how the structure communicates this contrast with something simple like light exposure really opens my eyes to how forms tell stories.