Arch of Titus 1775 - 1785

"Arch of Titus" was made by Giovanni Volpato, sometime before 1803. At the time Volpato created this piece, Europe was enamored with antiquity, and views of Roman ruins were highly prized. Here, the Arch of Titus appears monumental yet softened by Volpato’s delicate rendering and pastel hues. Built to honor Titus’s military victories, including the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD, the arch became a symbol of Roman imperial power. This triumph, however, marked a profound loss and displacement for the Jewish people, a history often overlooked in romanticized depictions of Roman grandeur. Volpato’s print invites us to consider whose perspectives are privileged in historical narratives and how imperial monuments can embody both pride and pain, victory and displacement. How might it feel to walk beneath this arch, knowing its complex history?