View of Norba from the North, towards San Felice Circeo 1856

Carl Friedrich Heinrich Werner made this watercolor painting titled "View of Norba from the North, towards San Felice Circeo". Werner was working during a time of burgeoning interest in historical landscapes, fueled by Romanticism's emphasis on emotion and the sublime. The view captures the ruins of Norba, an ancient Latin city in Italy, set against the backdrop of the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is interesting to note how Werner’s choice of subject matter—ancient ruins—speaks to a broader cultural preoccupation with history, memory, and the passage of time. But this preoccupation was mostly the domain of wealthy white men on a ‘Grand Tour’. Look closely and you'll notice two figures positioned on the precipice. Their presence invites us to contemplate our relationship to the past and the landscape. The figures prompt questions about who is granted access to history and what perspectives are privileged in its interpretation. Werner's skill lies in evoking a sense of melancholy through the muted colors. This piece challenges us to reflect on whose histories are remembered, and by whom. The emotional weight of history becomes palpable.