Amfitheater van Capua 1781 - 1820

Vincenzo Alloja created this print of the Amphitheater of Capua using etching and aquatint. It offers us a glimpse into the gendered and classed dimensions of the site's cultural appeal. In the foreground, we see men and women from the local community alongside their donkey. They appear to be humble merchants who are on their way to, or from, the market. Their inclusion invites us to reflect on the labor and lives of the local population in relation to the grandeur of Roman history. While the ruins evoke a powerful sense of history, they were also a part of the present-day lives of ordinary people. The women, who are centrally placed, remind us that the land is not just an archeological site, but also a home, a source of income, and a place of community. The image thus creates a dialogue between the distant past and the immediate present.