Gezicht op het Forum Romanum in Rome before 1898

This photograph, possibly taken in the 19th century, depicts the Roman Forum. Even by then, the Forum had been a ruin for centuries, and had become more of a site for tourism and archaeological study than the centre of civic life it had been in antiquity. The image creates meaning through its stark contrast to Rome's former glory, and it serves as a reminder of the transience of political power. The city itself, and especially these ruins, became potent symbols for European empires, their artists, and their institutions. They helped conjure up a sense of historical destiny for the present by associating current imperial projects with those of the past. To fully understand this artwork, a historian would need to research the cultural and political context in which it was made, as well as the social history of Rome itself. Understanding the relationship between art and its social and institutional context helps us to better understand the meaning of this image.