The Armilustrium on the Aventine Hill 1641

Curator: This plate by Giacomo Lauro depicts "The Armilustrium on the Aventine Hill." Editor: It has such a formal, almost stoic presence, doesn't it? All that symmetry. Curator: Indeed. Lauro's use of line emphasizes the architectural structure—the rhythmic repetition of arches and the clear delineation of space. Editor: And the Armilustrium itself would have been a potent symbol, a site for ritually storing arms at the end of the campaigning season, signifying peace and the cessation of war. Curator: The visual language reflects that, doesn't it? A structured, ordered space mirroring the desire for structured, ordered peace. Editor: It certainly speaks to the human need to contain and control, both our physical and psychic spaces. Quite a powerful image when you consider it. Curator: Yes, Lauro gives us form and order to contemplate, offering insight into the layered meanings of peace.