S. Giovanni in Laterano, main façade, with Palace and Scala Santa on the right (Veduta della Basilica di S. Giovanni Laterano), from "Vedute di Roma" 1744 - 1754

This print of the Basilica di San Giovanni Laterano in Rome, was made by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, who lived in the 18th century. It was produced using etching, a printmaking technique that demands careful labor. The image is incised into a metal plate, and then transferred to paper. Piranesi wasn't just documenting architecture; he was making an argument about its cultural significance. Note the way he exaggerates the scale of the basilica, dwarfing the figures in the foreground. This visual trick emphasizes the grandeur of Rome, literally built on the backs of laborers, whose work underpinned the city’s magnificence. Look closely, and you’ll see that Piranesi hasn’t just shown us the finished building. He also includes broken fragments in the foreground, a reminder of the construction process and the passage of time. In this way, Piranesi reminds us that Rome, like the print itself, is the product of immense labor, and a testament to human ambition. He elevates printmaking to the status of fine art.