Johann Joachim Winckelmann and the Ruins of Rome

Johann Joachim Winckelmann and the Birth of the Aesthetics of Ancient Art: The Fascination of the Ruins of Rome

Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1717-1768) is one of the absolute protagonists of the history of modern art, a visionary who transformed the way of looking at antiquity, inaugurating a new era in 18th-century art criticism. His passion for Greek and Roman classics gave rise to a profound change in European aesthetic thought, paving the way for Neoclassicism. Although his predilection was for Greek art, considered by him the unattainable peak of ideal beauty, it was in Rome, the “Eternal City”, that his thought found fertile ground. The ruins of Rome were for him a bridge to Greek perfection, fueling his vision of an aesthetic that celebrated the purity of forms and harmony.

The Journey to Rome: A Revealing Encounter
Winckelmann , German by birth, reached Rome in 1755, eager to immerse himself in the vestiges of classical antiquity. At the time, the city was the beating heart of Western culture and archaeology, with its imposing ruins and grandiose monuments that told of the glory of the Roman Empire. For Winckelmann , Rome was a true revelation: they were not simple remains of stone, but sources of inspiration that awakened in him a new conception of beauty. He loved to say that "the ruins of Rome are not only silent stones, but are living monuments that speak of the glory of a majestic past, awakening a desire for emulation and greatness in the souls of those who contemplate them" ( History of Art in Antiquity , book IV, chap. 2). He saw in the fragments of Roman statues and architecture traces of the purity of Greek art, but he was convinced that only through understanding the latter could one grasp the true ideals of classical beauty, ideals that for him resided in the simplicity of forms and perfect harmony.

The Evocative Power of Roman Ruins
During his years in Rome, Winckelmann spent entire days among the archaeological remains, carefully examining every detail of statues, bas-reliefs and temples. Among the places that most captivated him were the Roman Forum, the Colosseum and the Capitoline Museums, where he sought that “noble simplicity and quiet grandeur” ( edle Einfalt und stille Größe ) that he defined as the essence of classical beauty. The idea was born from the encounter between the sobriety of Greek art and the decadent magnificence of the ruins of Rome , powerful witnesses to a past that, even in its ruin, continued to convey a sense of spiritual elevation. Winckelmann described this experience by saying that “the ruins of Rome are like large open books, whose fragments reveal to our eyes an ancient knowledge, but still capable of reawakening in the heart a yearning for beauty and truth” ( History of Art in Antiquity , book IV, chap. 2).

The ruins , with their aura of majestic decay, awakened in him not only nostalgia for a glorious past, but also a yearning for spiritual perfection. Winckelmann was convinced that ancient art was capable of ennobling the soul, transmitting through its forms ideals of virtue and beauty that the artists of his time had to rediscover and make their own. From these reflections was born his most famous work, History of Art in Antiquity (1764), a text that marked the beginning of modern archaeology and systematic art criticism. Winckelmann analyzed the evolution of art from Egypt to Greece, and then to Rome, building a hierarchy that saw Greek art as the highest point of artistic perfection.

Memorable encounters and brilliant intuitions
A central episode in his Roman journey was the discovery of the sculpture of Laocoön, kept in the Vatican Museums. The sculptural group, rediscovered in 1506, embodied for Winckelmann the height of pathos: a profound pain that, despite its intensity, maintained a heroic composure. From here was born one of his most famous intuitions: ideal beauty is not found in the absence of emotions, but in the ability to elevate passions to a higher level of balance. Art, for him, had to aspire to an ideal representation, capable of overcoming the limits of reality and making the eternal visible.

Another key moment was the relationship he developed with Roman aristocratic circles and great art collectors, such as Cardinal Alessandro Albani. Winckelmann frequented the salons of the cultural elite, where he had access to private collections of antiquities that further enriched his vision. Thus his ideas spread among the intellectuals and artists of the Grand Tour, giving rise to a current of thought that would shape Neoclassicism throughout Europe. His theories influenced not only art criticism, but also artistic production, leaving an indelible mark on the taste and aesthetics of the time.

The Rediscovery of the Classical Ideal
Winckelmann did not simply study ancient art; he celebrated its soul. Greek art, he believed, embodied primordial purity, an art that had materialized in the bodies of gods and heroes. Roman art, although he saw it as a continuation of Greek art, also represented a decadence of Greek art. However, the ruins of Rome , charged with the passage of time, led him to reflect on the ephemeral nature of beauty and the possibility of glimpsing an eternal ideal in ancient fragments. His approach was not only descriptive, but sought to understand the cultural context and aesthetic sensibility that had given rise to those works, placing particular emphasis on the study of nature as a source of inspiration for artists.

Winckelmann's Legacy: An Aesthetic Revolution
Winckelmann 's vision represented a radical break with Baroque and Rococo forms, orienting European taste towards a more austere art imbued with a classical spirit. His greatness lies in having recognized in the works of antiquity a model for contemporary art, drawing an invisible thread that linked the perfection of classical Greece to the majesty of Rome, to the point of profoundly influencing European culture. His reflections continue to resonate today, demonstrating how the rediscovery of the past can illuminate the present and open new paths for the future of art. His work marked a turning point in the history of art, transforming "History" into a tool for understanding the evolution of taste and beauty over time.