Santa Sabina on the Aventine Hill and Sant’Agnese fuori le Mura and Santa Costanza in Rome c. 1809 - 1812

Josephus Augustus Knip created this watercolor, "Santa Sabina on the Aventine Hill and Sant’Agnese fuori le Mura and Santa Costanza in Rome," to capture Rome's architectural relics. Knip painted this after the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars, a period when the rise of Neoclassicism in art and architecture coincided with renewed interest in classical history. The placement of these three iconic churches highlights different aspects of the city's identity. Santa Sabina, the oldest of the three, reminds us of the early expansion of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. Sant’Agnese fuori le Mura, dedicated to Saint Agnes, emphasizes stories of female strength and religious devotion. Lastly, Santa Costanza, originally a mausoleum, showcases the grandeur and adaptability of Roman architecture through the ages. Knip’s subtle watercolors evoke a sense of nostalgia and reverence for a bygone era. Through his art, Knip invites us to reflect on the layers of history and memory embedded in the urban landscape.