Fireplace: on the frieze of acanthus leaf between two horns, dolphins and sphinxes 

Here, Giovanni Battista Piranesi depicts a fireplace, teeming with classical motifs. Note the sphinxes flanking the frieze. These mythical creatures, part human, part lion, carry a weighty symbolism across cultures, often representing guardianship, wisdom, and the enigma of the unknown. The acanthus leaves swirling between the horns evoke classical antiquity, adorning temples and public buildings. Observe how the horns reappear, an ancient symbol linked to power, divinity, and fertility. The dolphins too are associated with Aphrodite in Greek mythology, and often symbolise salvation and transformation. Consider the meander pattern, the ornamental border constructed from a continuous line, shaped into a repeated motif that binds the scene together. These motifs and gestures—reappearing across millennia—reveal cultural memory. The sphinxes, the acanthus leaves, the horns, the dolphins: each is a powerful force engaging us, connecting us to the collective subconscious. They are non-linear, resurfacing, evolving, and taking on new meanings through history.