Boog van Septimius Severus te Rome 1575

Étienne Dupérac's etching captures the Arch of Septimius Severus in Rome, immortalizing stone with ink. This arch, erected to honor imperial victory, prominently features inscriptions and relief carvings. Consider the arch itself, a form echoed through the ages, from ancient city gates to triumphal arches in Paris, each a symbolic passage. What do we make of the psychological impact of passing through a gate? The arch as a gate speaks of transition, of crossing thresholds, a motif laden with cultural and psychological weight. Through such portals, societies commemorate the victories of the few, reminding us of the fine line between triumph and tyranny, echoing through collective memory. The echoes of victory and power linger, not just in stone, but in the human psyche. Dupérac's etching reveals how symbols, like echoes, continue to shape our perception of history.