Tempel van Segesta 1778

This drawing of the Tempel van Segesta was made by Louis Mayer. Mayer’s image allows us to reflect on how we see and understand ancient cultures. During the 18th and 19th centuries, there was a surge of European interest in classical antiquity. The Grand Tour became a rite of passage for wealthy Europeans, who journeyed to historical sites like Segesta in Sicily. Drawings such as this one were valued, feeding a market for picturesque views of ancient ruins. But these images often came loaded with colonialist undertones. Consider the power dynamics at play: European artists depicting and interpreting the remains of a civilization that was not their own. Who gets to tell the story of the past, and whose perspectives are privileged? Mayer's drawing, while seemingly objective, is imbued with a particular cultural lens. It invites us to consider the layers of interpretation and the politics embedded within our understanding of history.