Pedestal of Trajan`s Column 

This print of the pedestal of Trajan’s Column was made by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, likely in the 1700s, using etching and engraving. Piranesi was fascinated by Roman antiquity and the aqueducts, buildings, and monuments that defined it. The print exemplifies how he combined the skilled traditions of drawing with fine art printmaking. Look closely, and you’ll see every line is deliberately incised into the metal plate, then printed in ink onto paper. The material of the print allows for the diffusion of information and ideas across Europe, at a time when knowledge of this kind was power. But beyond its aesthetic qualities, the print also functions as a record of a real Roman object. The pedestal is a monument to imperial ambition, labor, and the spoils of war. This challenges our traditional understanding of both fine art and craft.