A view of Rome, with the ruins of the Baths of Titus, and the Colosseum to the left 1761 - 1817

Daniël Dupré created this panoramic view of Rome with pen and brown ink, capturing the Baths of Titus and the Colosseum. Born in the mid-18th century, Dupré navigated a world shaped by the Enlightenment and burgeoning Romanticism, influences visible in his rendering of the Roman landscape. The ruins stand not just as relics of a bygone empire, but as silent witnesses to the passage of time and the shifting fortunes of civilization. Consider the lone shepherd and his flock in the foreground. They introduce a humble, pastoral note amidst the grandeur, quietly speaking to the social and economic realities of the time. The classical ruins stand as a backdrop to everyday lives, inviting us to reflect on the continuities and discontinuities between past and present, power and vulnerability. This vista is not just a pretty picture; it's a layered narrative of history, labor, and enduring human presence.