Untitled (Trajan's Column, Base)

Art Historical Context

In the mid-19th century, photographer Robert MacPherson captured timeless grandeur of ancient Rome through his meticulous albumen prints, including this *Untitled (Trajan's, Base)* from his seminal series *Photographs of of Rome* (c. 1857). This 37.6 × 26.5 cm image focuses on the intricate sculptural base of Trajan's Column, a 2nd-century Roman monument erected in 113 AD to celebrate Emperor Trajan's victories over the Dacians. MacPherson's lens reveals the column's detailed low-relief carvings of armored soldiers, captives, and trophies, preserving architectural details that fascinated 19th-century scholars and travelers. Albumen prints, made by coating paper with egg whites sensitized with silver salts, were the gold standard of early photography for their rich tonal range and sharp clarity—ideal for documenting monumental antiquities. MacPherson, who ran a studio near Rome's Spanish Steps, catered to Grand Tour visitors and archaeologists, producing over 1,000 views that bridged classical antiquity with emerging photographic realism. Held in the Art Institute of Chicago's Photography and Media Department, this work highlights photography's role in democratizing access to Rome's ruins, transforming distant history into intimate study objects for modern audiences.

About the Artist

Robert MacPherson · 1811–1872

Robert Macpherson (1811–1872) was a Scottish artist who began his career in medicine before pivoting to painting and ultimately pioneering photography in Rome. Born in the Tayside region near Edinburgh, he enrolled at the University of Edinburgh in 1831 to study medicine but left without graduating after four years. He then trained at the Royal Scottish Academy, where he exhibited portraits from 1...