Boog van de geldwisselaars te Rome

About this artwork

collector's mark: Lugt 3937

Art Historical Context

The photograph a weathered stone archway richly carved with classical reliefs of robed figures, animals, and intricate ornamental borders. The structure fills most of the frame, its surface showing age and erosion, while a man in a cap sits quietly at the base, providing a sense of scale. Rendered in the warm sepia tones of an albumen print, the image balances strong architectural detail against the softer textures of brick buildings visible in the background. This albumen print by Gustave Eugène Chauffourier records the Boog van de geldwisselaars te Rome, also known as the Arch of the Argentarii. Created in or before 1869, the work belongs to the early photographic documentation of Rome’s ancient monuments, when artists used the new medium to preserve and share views of classical ruins for scholars and travelers alike. Now in the Rijksmuseum collection, the print captures both the monument’s sculptural richness and the quiet presence of daily life beside it.