Portrait of a Roman Woman on a Flat Roof in Rome 1891

Max Klinger painted this large canvas of a woman in Rome some time in the late nineteenth century. It's a fascinating image to consider in terms of the grand tour and the Western artistic tradition of viewing Italy as a place of cultural and artistic enlightenment. Here, the sitter, with her rather plain dress, sits in sharp contrast to the opulent golden embroidery of her sleeves. She is set against the backdrop of Rome's rooftops and a serene blue sky, almost as if suspended between the domestic and the sublime. We might ask, what is the role of women in this tradition? Are they mere figures in a landscape, or are they active participants in this cultural exchange? As art historians, we can delve deeper into the painting’s historical context by looking at travelogues, fashion plates, and social commentaries of the time. By piecing together these narratives, we gain a more complete understanding of the complex social dynamics at play.