Poseidon Templet i Pæstum 1861 - 1934

Here we see Alexander Blom's rendering of the Poseidon Temple in Paestum, held at the SMK. The print captures the temple’s imposing structure through careful arrangements of lines and textures. The architectural form rises from a horizontal base, emphasizing its scale. Notice how the columns, rendered with meticulous detail, create a rhythm that leads the eye across the facade. Blom uses hatching and cross-hatching to define the temple’s mass, playing with light and shadow to suggest depth and volume. The precision of the architectural rendering invites a semiotic analysis. The temple becomes a signifier of classical ideals, order, and rationality, deeply embedded in Western cultural codes. Blom’s choice to focus on the temple's structure invites us to consider how built forms communicate power and cultural values. The print serves not only as a visual record but also as a commentary on the enduring legacy and continuous re-interpretation of classical forms in modern art.