Temple in Ruins

In an atmosphere of dense areas of shadow, the ruins of impressive buildings of ancient times are combined with the mundane scene of a group of poor people moving around with their animals and possessions. The ruins in the outskirts of Rome were, in fact, the frequent dwelling place of the poor, and their representation, while also showing the observer the greatness of the vestiges of ancient Rome, emphasised a philosophical reflection on the passage of time and the transience of empires and human glory, contrasting wealth and poverty, eternal and ephemeral, and, in a visual and metaphorical way, light and shadow. Hubert Robert worked in Rome between 1754 and 1765 and there he became fascinated in painting ruins, which characterised all of his work. This painting was donated to the Museum by the collector Calouste Gulbenkian, who bought it in London, in 1921, with its previous owners being unknown.