Triumphal Arch and Ruins with the Pantheon in the Distance 1778 - 1782

Editor: This is Hubert Robert's "Triumphal Arch and Ruins with the Pantheon in the Distance." It’s undated, but the medium is listed as pen and black ink with gray wash. I'm struck by the romantic ruin depicted. What statement do you think Robert is trying to make? Curator: Robert's work often highlights the tension between the grandeur of classical architecture and its decay. Consider the popularity of "Grand Tours" at this time and how this image romanticizes the past but also speaks to the transient nature of power and empires. The Pantheon in the distance acts as a symbol, doesn't it? Editor: It does, highlighting the enduring legacy, while the arch crumbles. So, the artwork is commenting on the social elite visiting and romanticizing those ruins? Curator: Precisely. Robert invites the viewer to reflect on the relationship between the past and the present, and the politics inherent in viewing these ruins. Editor: Fascinating! I hadn't considered the political angle. Thanks for sharing!