View of the Colosseum by Night
by CARUS, Karl Gustav, Oil on canvas, 48 x 37 cm
Carus was close to Caspar David Friedrich and painted the same Romantic subjects: ruins, mountains, and moonlit nights. But for Carus such themes were an opportunity to admire the beauty of the world more than an occasion for profound contemplation; his paintings tend to delight the eye rather than induce thoughtfulness.
The present painting was inspired by the artist’s impressions gained on a journey around Italy in 1828.