Architectural Capriccio 1780 - 1800

Jean Henri Alexandre Pernet created this watercolor and graphite drawing, Architectural Capriccio, sometime in the late 18th century. Pernet, who died at only 26 years old, situated his artistic practice within the grand tradition of French landscape painting. This drawing exemplifies the 18th-century artistic interest in the capriccio – an architectural fantasy. The scene blends real and imagined architectural elements, inviting us into a romantic, dreamlike space populated by figures in classical dress. But the dream is complicated by the ruins. The crumbling structures evoke a sense of nostalgia for a bygone era and perhaps even a melancholic commentary on the transient nature of human achievement. These ruins, while aesthetically pleasing, might also be seen as emblems of a society on the cusp of radical change. As viewers, we must ask ourselves: what does it mean to find beauty in decay, and how does this relate to the social and political realities of Pernet's time?