Partial view of a Building [Templum Veneris] from the series 'Ruinarum variarum fabricarum delineationes pictoribus caeterisque id genus artificibus multum utiles' 1554

Lambert Suavius made this etching, 'Partial view of a Building [Templum Veneris]' some time in the 16th century. It’s part of a series called 'Ruinarum variarum fabricarum delineationes pictoribus caeterisque id genus artificibus multum utiles'. The title suggests the series was made for artists, useful as references for paintings and other artworks. The print depicts classical architecture - columns, domes and porticoes, and the Latin name of the building suggests it's a temple to Venus. Suavius worked in the Low Countries. In the 1500s, many artists in Northern Europe travelled to Italy to study the classical remains. They brought back drawings and prints of ancient buildings, which circulated widely, influencing art and architecture. Suavius's series presents these buildings as ruins. It shows not only classical architecture but also reflects on its decline. The rise and fall of civilizations was a popular theme in the 16th century, reminding people of the fleeting nature of earthly power. The historian's role is to reconstruct this cultural and institutional context through archival research. This kind of research helps us understand the values and beliefs of people in the past.