Second View of Ruins on the Palatine 1561

Curator: This is Hieronymus Cock’s "Second View of Ruins on the Palatine," a 16th-century engraving from the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Wow, talk about a memento mori! The ruins just spill across the landscape like bones. There’s an almost theatrical quality to their decay, isn’t there? Curator: Yes, Cock's print captures the Palatine Hill as a site of memory and reflection on power. This image circulated widely, influencing how Europeans understood Roman antiquity. Editor: The stark lines create a feeling of desolation, but there’s a weird beauty in the way nature is reclaiming everything. It makes you wonder about the transience of our own creations. Curator: Absolutely. Cock's view engages with the Renaissance fascination with classical ruins, showcasing both their grandeur and their fallen state in the 16th century. Editor: I love how it invites us to ponder themes of time and loss, doesn't it? Even in ruins, there’s a certain poetry.