The Roman antiquities, t. 1, Plate XXXVI. Veduta with ruins of the Peristyle House of Nero. 1756

Giovanni Battista Piranesi created this etching, titled 'The Roman antiquities, t. 1, Plate XXXVI. Veduta with ruins of the Peristyle House of Nero', amidst the burgeoning 18th-century fascination with classical antiquity. Piranesi was not merely documenting historical ruins; he was actively participating in shaping contemporary perceptions of Roman grandeur, with the emotional undertones of the sublime, and the frailty of human achievement. The etchings themselves became part of the Grand Tour experience for affluent Europeans. As they journeyed through Italy, experiencing and acquiring Piranesi's prints along the way, they shaped their own cultural identities. These prints often catered to, and further entrenched, the tastes and values of a specific social class. The Roman ruins, depicted not as historical sites but as romantic landscapes, became emblems of an idealized past, imbued with nostalgia and a sense of loss. But, they also underscore the temporary nature of power, and the impact of legacy.