Panorama van de stad Rome 1765

Giuseppe Vasi etched this panorama of Rome, capturing not just the city's layout, but also its symbolic heart. Dominating the foreground, an angel holds a laurel branch, a symbol of peace and victory, unfurling a scroll bearing witness to Rome's grandeur. This motif of an angel with a scroll is a potent one, echoing through Renaissance art and beyond. It's reminiscent of ancient Roman depictions of Victory, yet softened and Christianized, reflecting the Church's embrace of classical imagery. This act of holding and presenting also carries weight, appearing in countless depictions of knowledge, power and divine revelation. Think of the prophets holding scrolls, or the proclamations in civic and religious ceremonies, as a conduit of truth, inviting viewers to interpret the world laid out before them. The city, so meticulously rendered, becomes a stage for the interplay of power, history and memory. It reminds us that symbols are never static; they evolve, accrue layers of meaning, and continually re-emerge in our collective consciousness.