Ruins of the old Senate House of Hostilius near the Church of St. John and St. Paul 1741 - 1748

Giovanni Battista Piranesi made this print of the Ruins of the old Senate House of Hostilius near the Church of St. John and St. Paul, sometime in the mid-18th century. As an engraver, architect, and antiquarian, Piranesi was fascinated by the city of Rome, which was undergoing renewed archaeological investigation. But, these ruins aren't simply records of historical sites. They present a vision of the city as a stage for human drama. Look closely, and you’ll see the tiny figures dwarfed by the monumental architecture. In Piranesi’s Rome, the past is not just something to be studied but a force that shapes the present. He was greatly influenced by the Grand Tour and, more generally, by the growing culture of museums. These institutions would shape the collection, study, and preservation of artifacts. Historians use sources such as archaeological reports, travel writing and museum records to explore the social and cultural life of the past, and to understand the role of institutions in shaping our understanding of it.