Amphitheater of Capua c. 18th century

Curator: Domenico Cunego’s etching, "Amphitheater of Capua," presents this ancient Roman structure in ruins, softened by time and nature. What's your first impression? Editor: It feels melancholic, a poignant reminder of faded glory. The crumbling stone, the sparse figures… it's all very wistful. Curator: The figures offer a contemporary context, integrating the amphitheater into the daily life of 18th-century Italy. Note the sheep, the people relaxing. Editor: Right, it's like the ruins have become a pastoral backdrop. But the amphitheater still carries a silent weight, don’t you think? A vestige of a powerful empire. Curator: Absolutely. Cunego captures that tension beautifully: the present superimposed on the past, both informing each other. Editor: Yes, a silent stage. We are left to ponder on the spectacle that was and what remains.