A Reconstruction of the Aedes Concordiae (above) and a View of the Ruins (below) 1690 - 1704

Jan Goeree created this ink and wash drawing titled "A Reconstruction of the Aedes Concordiae (above) and a View of the Ruins (below)". The structure is immediately striking; it is bisected horizontally, presenting two contrasting visions within a single frame. Above, the Aedes Concordiae is depicted as an intact, symmetrical temple, realized with precise lines and balanced proportions. The lower half reveals its ruined state. Goeree uses broken lines to evoke a sense of decay, of time's relentless passage. The composition is disrupted with partial columns and crumbling facades, contrasting sharply with the ideal form above. The inclusion of figures further emphasizes this contrast; a classical figure sits contemplatively alongside cherubs playing amidst scattered coins, alluding to themes of mortality and the transience of earthly power. The coins themselves, each a perfect circle, are in opposition to the imperfect decay shown in the rest of the drawing. Goeree invites us to meditate on the relationship between ideal forms and the inevitable entropy that shapes human history.