Landscape With Ruins Animated With Figures 

Jan Brueghel the Younger painted this landscape, animated with figures, in the seventeenth century. The ruined temple evokes the grandeur of a lost classical age, a popular theme among artists and their patrons in Northern Europe at this time. Brueghel was Flemish, and the painting shows his engagement with the artistic conventions of the Italian Renaissance. We see this, for instance, in the picturesque ruins, but also in the idealized figures scattered along the shoreline. The Roman ruins aren't just picturesque, they're also a statement about history and power. The Catholic Church was an important patron for artists in Flanders and the ruins represent a connection to the classical past of the Roman Empire which the church sought to claim as its origin. As art historians, we can look to period sources to better understand how people perceived the relationship between the classical past, the institutions of art and religion, and their own place in history. By understanding these connections, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the historical significance of this evocative landscape.