Temple of Tussis or the God of Coughing, plate twenty-nine from the Ruins of Rome Possibly 1798

Editor: So, this is “Temple of Tussis or the God of Coughing,” a print made by M. Dubourg around 1798. It seems to be a watercolor etching on paper, showing a temple ruin nestled in a lush, green landscape. The scene has a melancholy sort of beauty. What do you make of it? Curator: Melancholy is a key word here. What we see represented is a ruin, but also the persistent power of nature. The Temple of Tussis – coughs – brings to mind illness and mortality, things that civilizations often try to push to the margins. But look at the image; nature reclaims even those attempts at the edge. Consider the scale of the image as well; two figures appear near the temple; tiny, really. Does that imply anything to you about human insignificance? Editor: It definitely emphasizes the power of nature and the inevitable decay of human structures. Is there a specific significance to coughs or illness in the 18th century? Curator: Absolutely. Think of the great plagues that swept through Europe; coughs and sickness were potent symbols of death's ever-presence. Representing it here as a 'god' almost suggests a kind of acknowledgment of that inescapable reality, a facing up to fear, even perhaps, an act of supplication. Note too the dark sky overhead… do you think the artist implies a looming storm, perhaps of pestilence, hardship, and suffering, or is it more symbolic? Editor: It feels symbolic, adding to the overall mood of transience and fragility. It’s like a reminder of our mortality. Seeing the scene in that light makes the temple a powerful symbol beyond just a ruin. Curator: Precisely. It's a cultural memory etched onto paper, revealing not just what was, but what we continue to fear and, perhaps, attempt to placate. Editor: I never would have looked at this landscape in quite that way without considering its symbolism of mortality and cultural memory. Thank you.