Wasserspeiende Löwen auf einem Podest 

Jan Asselijn made this drawing of waterspouting lions on a pedestal, likely in Italy in the 1630s or 40s, during his time there as a member of the Bentvueghels group of Dutch and Flemish artists. It is likely a study of Roman fountains, objects which were invested with civic meaning, and designed to impress onlookers with the power and beneficence of the city and its rulers. Lions themselves were symbols of power and strength, which are deliberately referenced in the sculpture of Rome. In the 17th century, Rome was in the midst of a vast campaign of urban renewal sponsored by the popes, intended to reassert the centrality of the church. To understand this drawing better, we might consult guidebooks and histories from the period and compare it with other drawings of Roman monuments made by northern European artists. What emerges is a clearer picture of the meaning of Rome, and its art, for visitors from the north.