Dedicatory letter in italics italics, dated July 20, 1748 

Editor: Here we have Giovanni Battista Piranesi's etching, "Dedicatory Letter in Italics, dated July 20, 1748." It's a black and white print showing the crumbling remains of ancient Roman architecture. I find it very melancholy – this beautiful, grand past in ruins. What stands out to you the most in this piece? Curator: Ah, Piranesi. He truly felt the weight of history. What strikes me is his use of light and shadow. Notice how the strong contrast emphasizes the fragmented nature of the ruins, yes, but it almost seems as if the light itself is another character bearing witness. He wasn't just documenting ruins; he was feeling their pulse, capturing a dialog between what was and what remains. Don’t you think there is an aura of his subjective involvement within? Editor: I see that now! It's like the ruins are speaking, not just being observed. Do you think the people included are supposed to be there or ghosts of the buildings? Curator: An interesting thought. Well, they could be, perhaps, ghosts. Consider the way Piranesi often played with scale, dwarfing the figures to emphasize the immensity and longevity of the Roman Empire and the fleeting nature of human existence in general. Or maybe he included them as a point of comparison, between those who built, ruined, survived or forgot these massive temples. Editor: Wow, I never thought about the scale thing with figures this way! It puts things into a whole different perspective. Curator: Exactly! It is like time folding onto itself in Piranesi's hand. Editor: I will never see it the same. Thank you for unveiling some the layered conversation of shadows.