A capriccio of a classical arcade and a column with figures conversing before a statue 1778

Hubert Robert painted this capriccio with oil on canvas some time in the late 18th century. It exemplifies the fashion for classical antiquity that swept across Europe at the time. But this is not just a celebration of the grandeur of the ancient world. The scene is a ‘capriccio’, an architectural fantasy. Robert brings together classical ruins and figures in imagined combinations. Why? Well, ruins were powerful symbols in 18th century France. They suggested the transience of power and the vanity of human ambition. This was a time of social and political upheaval, and Robert’s paintings can be seen as a commentary on the fragility of the established order. The figures in the scene – are they admiring the ruins, or are they simply using them as a backdrop for their everyday lives? To understand Robert’s work better, we can look at the history of art institutions at the time, and read the writings of contemporary social critics. We might discover a complex picture of a society on the cusp of revolution.