The Roman antiquities, t. 1, Plate XIII 1756

This is Plate XIII from Giovanni Battista Piranesi's "The Roman Antiquities," an etching that captures a view of Rome in the 18th century. Piranesi, an Italian artist and architect, was deeply influenced by the grandeur of Rome and the weight of its history. Here, Piranesi shows us the side of a portico near the Temple of Antoninus Pius, now the Customs House. The scene, bustling with figures and carriages, situates ancient architecture within the fabric of modern life. Piranesi wasn't just documenting buildings; he was constructing an idea of Rome. Piranesi's Rome is a place where the past and present collide, where the grandeur of ancient structures contrasts with the everyday existence of its inhabitants. There is a tension between decay and the eternal, reflecting the artist’s complex relationship with his city. He seems to ask: how does the weight of history shape our present?