Villa of Maecenas at Tivoli c. 1627

Bartholomeus Breenbergh's "Villa of Maecenas at Tivoli" (c. 1627), is a pen and brown wash drawing of a classical ruin set against a verdant landscape. The drawing captures the atmospheric quality of the site, with the crumbling arches and overgrown foliage suggesting a sense of both decay and resilience. The figures in the foreground, dwarfed by the scale of the ruins, further emphasize the grandeur of the ancient Roman architecture and the passage of time. This drawing exemplifies Breenbergh's fascination with the ancient world and his skill in capturing the beauty of its remnants.