Ruïne met bogen en een trap, mogelijk het Colosseum 1562 - 1717

Joannes van Doetechum created this print of a Ruin with Arches and a Staircase, possibly the Colosseum. It offers us a glimpse into the sixteenth-century Dutch fascination with classical antiquity. During this period, Rome stood as both a physical location and a symbolic landscape deeply intertwined with notions of power, history, and cultural identity. Here, Doetechum transforms the Colosseum into a romantic ruin, contrasting the grandeur of the Roman Empire with its state of decay. Figures wander about the grounds, dwarfed by the scale of the architecture. The architectural details and the presence of contemporary figures invite a dialogue between the past and the present, prompting viewers to consider the passage of time and the transience of human achievements. The ruin evokes a sense of melancholy, as we contemplate the inevitable decline of civilizations, and perhaps even our own mortality.