Landscape with Roman Ruins

Although born in Dieppe, France, Asselijn's family moved to Amsterdam when he was a child. In his travels as a young artist, Asselijn was part of a second wave of Dutch-Italianate artists who traveled to Italy to study. His compatriots included Jan Both, Nicolaes Berchem, Jan Baptist Weenix, and Johannes Lingelbach. Asselijn's subject matter was diverse, ranging from views of the Italian countryside to scenes of everyday life in Rome. In his landscape drawings, he was particularly interested in architectural ruins. The large ruin at the left is the Nymphaeum Hortorum Licianorum, although it was known (and wrongly identified) as the Temple of Minerva Medica in the 17th century. With their broad washes and bold brushstrokes, Asselijn's drawings may be compared to the style and technique of Bartholomeus Breenbergh and Thomas Wick.