Ornamentele pilaster en zuil met kronkelende slang 1778

This etching of a pilaster and column with twisting snake was made by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, sometime before 1778. Piranesi was famous for his views of Rome, but he also published detailed studies of Roman ruins. In this print we see an elaborate ornamental design, full of acanthus leaves, flowers, and birds. But it’s the twisting snake on the column that really grabs your attention. Snakes in art can symbolize healing, or knowledge, or even chaos. This image is of interest because it gives us insight into the visual culture of 18th century Italy, when the ruins of Rome were being excavated and studied, but were also being reimagined. Piranesi was not just documenting Roman artifacts, he was interpreting them. Art historians use engravings like this as documents in themselves. They can tell us about the tastes of the time, the way artists and patrons understood the classical past, and the institutions that supported the making and collecting of art.