A spectacular effect is achieved by the contrast between the fore- and background. On the right, the verdant hill is portrayed with a subdued palette of greens and browns. Meanwhile, the left bathes in a radiant sunlight that bounces off the weathered walls of the ancient walls. The juxtaposition of dark and light gives the composition a surprising sense of depth, drawing the eye almost unconsciously far into the painting.
The ancient complex in the background is evidently the Palace of Septimus Severus (emperor AD 193-211) on the Palatine hill in Rome. Since the building extended beyond the summit, arcades were constructed on the slope to support this section; these are clearly visible in the painting. Willem van Nieulandt undoubtedly saw the Roman ruin with his own eyes during the years he lived in the Eternal City. Visitors to Rome today will find the remains of the Palace almost exactly as they were when he painted this work.
Paintings by Willem van Nieulandt can be seen at the Museum of Fine Art in Antwerp, Herzog Anton-Ulrich Museum in Brunswick, Statens Museum for Konst in Copenhagen and Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.