Rome’s Changing Light

In 19th-century Rome, artists sought to capture nature’s truth just as photography began to redefine it. This episode explores the tension between brush and lens, from the meticulous landscapes of Giovanni Battista Bassi to the bold experiments of painters working en plein air. Against the backdrop of a transforming city—its ruins, its light, its living history—we uncover how art shifted from recording reality to expressing perception. As photography rose, painting evolved, proving that truth in art lies not in imitation, but in how we learn to see.