Cover Page. Above the eagle of the Holy Apostles Roman portico at the bottom of the vases in the Vatican Library Collection Ghezzi On a slab of marble, the inscription in relief. 1778

This print, made by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, shows an elaborate monument, likely rendered in ink and acid on copper. Piranesi had an eye for the texture of stone, and he knew how to suggest the effects of time through his compositions. Note the fissures in the marble slab at the top, and the wild undergrowth at the monument’s base, teeming with vases. The scene teeters between archaeological record and romantic fantasy. It's worth remembering that a print like this wasn't just an aesthetic object. It was also a form of speculative commerce. Piranesi was selling an idea of Rome, primarily to wealthy tourists, who snapped up these prints as souvenirs. In doing so, he contributed to an emerging culture of mass consumption. He captured Rome's monumental structures with a high level of craft, and in turn, made his name and fortune. This print, with its blend of commerce, craft, and ancient grandeur, demonstrates the deep connections between art, capitalism, and cultural identity.