Tarquinius werpt Tullius van de trappen van het Capitool 1817

Bartolomeo Pinelli created ‘Tarquinius werpt Tullius van de trappen van het Capitool’ using etching techniques. The composition immediately draws your eye to the figures positioned centrally on the steps. Pinelli uses line work to create dramatic tension within the scene, and this is achieved through the contrast of light and shadow. The rigid, horizontal lines of the steps provide a stark contrast to the dynamic, almost chaotic arrangement of figures in the upper section. The artist contrasts classical architectural elements with scenes of human turmoil, potentially destabilizing the established ideas of order and civic virtue. This can be understood as an attempt to critique the social structures of his time, using historical narrative as a mirror to contemporary issues. The very act of depicting such a scene suggests an engagement with the philosophy of power, and how easily it can corrupt and descend into violence. Consider how this etching challenges us to reflect on the darker aspects of human nature and societal structures.