Ruins on the Palatine Hill in Rome

Heemskerck was captivated not only by contemporary Italian art. This is a splendid example of the many surviving drawings of the remains of classical antiquity that Heemskerck made in Rome. The overgrown ruins underscore the bygone grandeur of the once mighty Roman Empire. In order to make optimum use of the precious paper, Heemskerck drew on the top and bottom of the sheet.