drawing, etching
drawing
neoclassicism
etching
landscape
etching
Dimensions height 365 mm, width 508 mm
Daniël Dupré captured the Villa d’Este in Tivoli with pen and brush, offering us more than just a landscape. Here, the tall cypress trees punctuate the scene. These cypresses, with their flame-like silhouettes, have long been associated with mourning and remembrance, guarding the entrances to the afterworld since ancient times. We see them in Etruscan tombs, their somber forms a constant reminder of mortality. Yet, their presence here, amidst the beauty of the villa, invites a contemplation of life and death, a dance between joy and sorrow. The image evokes a melancholic reverie, engaging us on a subconscious level. It is a reminder that every pleasure is fleeting. This symbol of the cypresses resurfaces through time, evolving from guardians of tombs to silent witnesses of earthly delights, carrying with it the weight of history and the echoes of human emotion.
Comments
Of old, Tivoli – the Roman ‘Tibur’ – was the place where prosperous city dwellers built country residences to escape the noise and stench of Rome. Dupré made this drawing in the fabled gardens of the Villa d’Este, at the time – and still – one of the greatest sights in Tivoli. The dome of St. Peter’s basilica is visible between the tree trunks.
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