Piazza Santi Apostoli te Rome 1665 - 1667

Giovanni Battista Falda’s Piazza Santi Apostoli in Rome, captured in ink, showcases more than mere architecture. Dominating the composition is the church, crowned with a cupola, and flanked by palazzi—symbols of power and divine authority. The cupola, a motif traceable back to ancient Roman domes, and further back to the tholos tombs of Mycenae, represents not only architectural innovation but also a connection between the earthly and the celestial. Its presence in this piazza echoes across time, resonating with similar structures in religious architecture worldwide. This form, passed down through generations, has seen its symbolic weight shift from pagan monumentality to Christian transcendence. Consider the psychological impact: the cupola, rising above the mundane, invites contemplation and a reaching for higher ideals, engaging viewers on a subconscious level, triggering our collective memory of awe and reverence. Like the ripples in a pond, this symbol resurfaces, carrying echoes of its past while adapting to new cultural landscapes.