Gezicht op de Santa Maria Maggiore, te Rome 1648 - 1712

This anonymous print captures the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. Dominating the foreground, we see the Column of Peace, a symbol of triumph and imperial power, repurposed for Christian veneration. The column, originally from the Roman Forum, speaks volumes about cultural continuity. This act of placing a Christian saint atop a pagan monument, recalls the 'rinascita' or rebirth of classical ideals within a Christian framework. Similar appropriations occurred throughout the Renaissance, and this reveals the psychological need to reconcile the past with the present. Such syncretism is not merely aesthetic, it embodies a deeper human impulse to find harmony between differing worldviews. The column, as a persistent symbol of power, undergoes constant re-evaluation, resurfacing in various forms, and evolving through time to carry new weight and meaning.