Architektonisches Capriccio_ Ruinen eines Rundtempels, im Hintergrund die Trajansäule 

Victor Jean Nicolle's "Architektonisches Capriccio_ Ruinen eines Rundtempels, im Hintergrund die Trajansäule" depicts a romanticized vision of ancient Rome. The watercolor, now housed at the Städel Museum, showcases the ruins of a circular temple with a glimpse of Trajan's Column in the background. The artist captures the crumbling grandeur of the Roman Empire, with a focus on the evocative details of the architectural fragments and the surrounding landscape. The presence of figures in the foreground adds a sense of human scale to the scene, suggesting both the passage of time and the enduring power of classical architecture. Nicolle's depiction of the ruins appeals to viewers' fascination with the past and evokes a sense of melancholic beauty.