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Hieronymus Cock's view of the Capitoline Hill, published in his 1562 series on Roman ruins, has long been considered a useful document by historians of art and architecture for the key historical and topographical information it contains on one of Rome's most celebrated sites during the Renaissance. Beyond its documentary nature, which, as will appear was essentially rhetorical, the view also offers much information as to how a mid-sixteenth-century Flemish artist might perceive Rome's illustrious topography and celebrated ancient statuary. In other words, Cock's engraving enables us to put into practice what may be called an "archaeology of the gaze." Through previously unnoticed details, Cock invents a comical—verging on the satirical—vision of the antique sculptures proudly displayed on the famous piazza. Such an ironical reversal of Italian classical dignity is typical of the attitude of some contemporary Flemish artists, such as Pieter Bruegel the Elder, who was then close to Cock, and exposes the ambivalent position of some Northern European artists towards the classical tradition and Italian art theory. Finally, the analysis of other engravings of ruins by Hieronymus Cock where two emblematic characters—the draftsman and the kakker (the one who defecates)—appear side by side, sheds light on the origin and possible significance of these comical and subversive details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the representation of power in the 16th century French painting "Les Massacres du Triumvirat/Massacres of the Triumvirate," by Antoine (who is also referred to as Anthoine) Caron, which is held at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, France as of January 2012. An overview of the relationship between power and violence throughout the Wars of Religion is provided. An overview of the essay "Une peinture d’Antoine Caron," by the French critic and ethnographer Michel Leiris is also provided. The depiction of ancient Rome in "Massacres of the Triumvirate" is discussed.

The article analyzes depictions of architectural imagery in the paintings of artist Jacques-Louis David. The author reflects on the genre of Roman "vedute" and the paintings "The Oath of the Horatii" and "The Sabine Women" by David. Architectural components such as archways, in the paintings are discussed as playing a dramatic role in the narrative embodying various symbolic and metaphorical meanings. Other topics include Rome as the foundation of civilization, Roman drawings, the artist Giovanni Battista Piranesi, and constructions on the Capitoline Hill.