The Mutability of Empires

The Oxford Dictionary defines mutability as the ability to change or the fact of being likely to change. Over the course of history, empires have ruled throughout the world. From the Persian Empire, Ottoman Empire and to the British Empire, powerful nations come and go with time. Through seeing this rise and fall of power, we can truly understand the meaning of mutability. Once stretching from Western Europe to West Asia, the Roman Empire was about as powerful and influential as an empire can get. This empire ruled for more than 400 years but eventually fell. Being another nation that has risen and fallen over time, art has found a way to uniquely capture this idea of mutability. Overall, ruin art shows dilapidated buildings, weed covered rocks, and crumbling structures. On the outset, these might seem like an interesting subject matter for an artwork. People might be drawn to their color or cool scenery. Ruin art usually does show impressive scenes which evoke wonder. However, ruin art is more than that. These paintings illustrate the story of once powerful nations becoming powerless. This kind of art shows the finitude of the most mighty empires. It points back to prior grandness while also showing the reality of the present. In this curation, we will look at paintings that show this mutability by seeing Rome in all its glory and contrast that to the fall of the empire.

Panini G. (1757) Modern Rome [Oil on Canvas]. The Met, New York.

This piece by Giovanni Paolo Panini shows the fullness and greatness of the Roman Empire. When first looking at this painting, we are struck by its grandness. We first see the size of the room. The ceilings are high, the people are small and art covers the walls and ceiling. This sense of scale is also provided by giving the work depth through the use of linear perspective and diminishing scale. As we look to the paintings on the walls, we can see that each painting depicts a different Roman monument or Roman artifact. Work from Michelangelo and Bernini can be seen as well as famous architecture. This shows the glory of the Roman Empire. To a degree, it captures the fullness of what the Roman Empire once was. In this one painting, viewers gain a sense of the power and grandness of the Roman Empire through artistic elements like scale, mass, and implied line but also through the content of the painting where each little painting within this piece shows a Roman monument.

Cole, T. (1835-36). The Course of Empire: The Consummation of Empire [Oil on Canvas]. Smithsonian American Art, Washington DC.

Panini, G. (1747). View of the Roman Forum [Oil on Canvas]. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore.

These two paintings are in stark contrast. Here we are able to witness the mutability of power. In the first painting, we see Rome at its consummation. It is full and robust. Cole uses color to set the tone of the painting. Violently bright white buildings, blue skies and water, and pink fabric all further drive home the feeling of power and grandness. Viewers are able to almost bask in the glory of the city.

However, this power doesn’t last forever. In the second painting we only see echoes of the first. The only thing viewers see here are the ruins of what once was. There are very few people who are scattered around. Contrast this with Thomas Cole’s painting showing hustle and bustle and celebration. Rome is not what it used to be. While we can see the skeleton of the former empire, it is now no grand place.

Botticelli, S. (1481-82). The Punishment of the Sons of Korah [Fresco]. South Wall of Sistine Chapel, Vatican.

Turpin de Crisse, L. (1818-38). The Arch of Constantine Seen from the Colosseum [Oil on Canvas]. The Met, New York.

Mutability can be seen here. The first painting depicts a Biblical story. While the point of this fresco is not to point out the greatness of Rome, it still achieves that end. In the back of the fresco viewers can see the Arch of Constantine. The Arch of Constantine was erected after Constantine’s victory in the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 AD (Cartwright, 2013). It is a triumphal arch and Botticelli shows it as one. The Arch is covered in gold and viewers, once again, gain a sense of power in this structure. Inscribed on the arch in the painting says, "Let no man take the honour to himself except he that is called by God, as Aaron was." This painting was used to enforce the power of God’s appointed leaders and the papacy (Kren, n.d.). This message was conveyed through the power of the Arch.

In the second painting, we see a much dimmer view of the Arch. While the Arch is still erect, it conveys less power. The framing provided by the deteriorating Colosseum gives viewers a much greater sense of “we’re not where we used to be.” There are weeds growing and cracks circumventing their way throughout the Colosseum. However, this painting does display the past glory of Rome, but we can see that this glory has remained in the past. Hence, mutability.

Ricci, M. (1676-1720). Caprice View with Roman Ruins [Oil on Canvas]. Royal Collection Trust, United Kingdom.

This piece by Marco Ricci shows the fall of the Roman Empire. Here we can see a temple to left in ruins. This temple is based on the ancient Roman Temple of Antoninus and Faustina on the Via Sacra which was dedicated to the Emperor and his wife in AD 161 (Royal Collection Trust, n.d.). The triumphal arch on the right is based on the Arch of Titus (Royal Collection Trust, n.d.). We get the sense of full and true dilapidation. The Roman Empire has fallen and the setting sun waves goodbye. This is the mutability of power. Modern Rome by Panini shows the full great and grandness of the Roman Empire. We were able to bask in the glory of that nation. But here we see the conclusion of that empire as it has fallen and another power is rising elsewhere.