Geschiedenis van de stad Rome 1716 - 1761

"Geschiedenis van de stad Rome" (History of the City of Rome), a 1716-1761 etching by Pieter Tanjé, depicts a complex allegory of the city's rise and fall. The scene is populated with figures representing various aspects of Rome's history, including a winged figure holding a scythe symbolizing Time, figures working on building projects, and a reclining figure representing the decline of the Roman Empire. This piece, now held in the Rijksmuseum, exemplifies the historical and allegorical themes popular in Dutch art of the 18th century.