NOTES
This large and sumptuous picture exemplifies the surge of interest in antiquity during the 19th century. The Roman Forum was a frequent subject of photographs since it lay at the heart of the ancient capital city. In his view, Louis-Auguste Bisson used a strong diagonal shadow cutting across the scene to knit together the rubble foundations, the remaining temple columns, and the triumphal arch of Septimius Severus. This composition tells a story about the afterlife of this area as well; the elaborate Baroque facade of the Santi Luca e Martina church in the center background sets up a visual pairing of ancient columns with the church designs they inspired some 1,500 years later.
