Veduta verso Roma 

Curator: At first glance, this pencil drawing feels like a fleeting memory, almost dreamlike in its delicate lines. Editor: Indeed. This is William Marlow's "Veduta verso Roma," housed right here at the Tate. Though undated, Marlow was active in the late 18th century, and this captures a particularly potent symbol of Rome. Curator: The prominence of St. Peter's Basilica immediately grounds it. The dome acts as this anchor, a symbol of power and permanence amidst the sketch's transience. Editor: Absolutely. And think about what St. Peter’s represented then, and still does now: the papacy, the Catholic church, a visual embodiment of spiritual and political authority. It's a landmark, but also a statement. Curator: The wispy lines add to that feeling. It's not just a building, but an idea taking shape on the page. And the dome looms, almost like a promise or a threat. Editor: A fitting perspective. For Marlow and his contemporaries, Rome was more than just a city; it was the heart of a complex history, a place of pilgrimage and power. Curator: It is truly remarkable how Marlow captured such a monumental and complex subject with such simple means. Editor: I agree. It makes you wonder about his intention: to document, to remember, or to perhaps critique the enduring influence of Rome.