Herman Postumus – Fantastic landscape with ruins Liechtenstein Museum (Vienna)

The composition presents a vista dominated by architectural decay and overgrown vegetation, set against a distant, hazy landscape. The foreground is densely populated with fragments of classical sculpture, broken columns, and scattered architectural elements – a veritable accumulation of ruin. These remnants are arranged on an uneven ground, partially obscured by thick foliage that encroaches upon the stone structures.
The artist has created a palpable sense of depth through atmospheric perspective; the distant landscape, featuring what appears to be a city or settlement nestled beside water, is rendered in muted tones and softened details, suggesting considerable distance. The sky above is overcast, contributing to the overall somber mood.
A central element within the foreground is a tablet bearing Latin inscription – Tempus edax rerum, quae pulchra dicimus, dira fluminis et statuae desertas. This phrase, translating roughly as Time devours all things which we call beautiful, and leaves statues and rivers desolate, immediately establishes a thematic focus on transience and the destructive power of time.
The arrangement of the ruins isnt random; it suggests a deliberate staging of decline. The crumbling structures are not merely remnants of a lost civilization but appear to be actively being consumed by nature – vines climb over columns, plants sprout from crevices in stone, and roots seem to pry apart architectural blocks. This interplay between human creation and natural reclamation is central to the works meaning.
The presence of what appears to be a small figure near the tablet adds another layer of interpretation. The diminutive scale of this individual emphasizes the overwhelming power of time and decay – a visual representation of humanity’s insignificance in the face of historical forces.
The painting evokes a melancholic contemplation on mortality, the impermanence of human achievement, and the inevitable return of all things to nature. It is not simply a depiction of ruins but an allegorical meditation on the passage of time and its impact on civilization.