The Roman antiquities, t. 1, Plate XXXII. Ruins of the pronaos of the temple of Jupiter the Thunderer. 1756

Giovanni Battista Piranesi made this etching of the Ruins of the pronaos of the temple of Jupiter the Thunderer as part of his series on Roman antiquities, during the 1700s. Piranesi created this image in a historical period marked by both an intense fascination with classical antiquity and by the rise of the Grand Tour, in which wealthy Europeans, mostly men, travelled through Italy to experience its art and culture. As he depicts the ruins, the artist uses stark contrasts and dramatic perspectives to evoke a sense of awe and the sublime, romanticizing the decay and grandeur of ancient Roman architecture. Yet, he also captures the emotional experience of encountering these historical ruins, inviting viewers to contemplate the passage of time. Piranesi's work engages with themes of power, memory, and the construction of identity, reflecting how societies use the past to shape their present. The ruins themselves become symbols of both the achievements and the vulnerabilities of civilizations.