Gezicht op de Thermen van Titus 1675 - 1711

This etching shows the ruins of the Baths of Titus. It was made in Amsterdam, but by an anonymous artist. The image presents a vision of the past that speaks to the cultural and institutional history of art. In the 17th century, sites of classical antiquity, especially in Rome, were powerful draws for artists from across Europe. The ruins stand as a testament to lost empire, overgrown but not yet lost to memory. The print also references a specific moment in the history of art. The text at the bottom of the image refers to the celebrated Laocoön sculpture, which had been rediscovered in the Baths of Titus in 1506, becoming a key artwork that artists had to know. We can see from inventories, letters, and travel accounts that this was just one of many images that circulated at this time, helping to shape how artists thought about the classical past. By studying these sources, we can develop a much richer picture of the image's role in its own time.