Gezicht op het Lateraan te Rome met de Sint-Jan van Lateranen c. 1750 - 1799

Domenico Montaigù created this print of the Lateran Square in Rome. Prints like this played an important role in shaping the cultural imagination of Europe during the early modern period. Here, Montaigù shows us not just a depiction of the buildings, but a commentary on the social and institutional life of Rome. Notice how the obelisk, an ancient Egyptian monument, stands as a symbol of power next to the Lateran Palace, once the main papal residence. The figures in the foreground, seemingly dwarfed by the architecture, suggest the scale of religious and political authority in the city. Prints like these, circulated among collectors and scholars, helped to construct an idea of Rome as a center of historical and religious significance. To fully understand an image like this, we can look at period documents: architectural plans, personal letters, and other visual representations to understand better what it meant to the people of its time.