Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg: The Cloisters of the Franciscan...

Framed motifs created by looking out or in through arches or colonnades appear frequently in 19^th century painting.

In Rome the device comes naturally; the many ruins and colonnades in the city invite spectators to look through them. A frame provides structure and perspective, allowing you to organise the splendid, picturesque views.

Sense of perspective

The device is perfectly in keeping with Eckersberg’s sense of perspective. The arches insert an extra layer  between spectator and background. As in a camera, the framing gives us the opportunity to control the chaos of detail in front of us.