Gezicht op de Engelenburcht te Rome 17th century

This watercolor and graphite drawing depicts the Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome, and was made by an anonymous artist. The castle, originally built as a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian and his family, looms large against the Roman skyline. Consider the history embedded in the Roman landscape: the weight of the Roman Empire, the rise of the Catholic Church, and the layers of power struggles that have played out over centuries. This drawing prompts us to think about the identities intertwined with such historical sites – from emperors and popes to the anonymous artists capturing their grandeur. It seems to me that the artist is inviting you, viewer, to consider the interplay between permanence and ephemerality, power and anonymity. The city exists as a testament to human ambition and frailty.