Architectural Capriccio with the Laocoön 18th-19th century

Editor: This is Hubert Robert’s Architectural Capriccio with the Laocoön, a watercolor artwork. It feels like a stage set for a play, doesn’t it? What historical context can you give us? Curator: Indeed. Robert created many of these "capricci," or architectural fantasies, playing with ruins and sculpture. Think about the 18th-century fascination with classical antiquity and the Grand Tour. What role did these images play in shaping the idea of the past? Editor: So, these weren't meant to be accurate depictions, but rather... idealized visions? Curator: Precisely. They reflect the social and intellectual climate, shaping how people perceived history and their place within it. They became commodities and souvenirs. Editor: I never considered how art could be a form of cultural construction itself. Thanks!