The Roman antiquities, t. 3, Plate XLVI. Inner wall of the Pyramid of Caius Cestius`s Room. 

This etching by Giovanni Battista Piranesi captures the inner wall of the Pyramid of Caius Cestius with dramatic flair. Notice how the composition is built upon contrasts between the remnants of ancient grandeur and the rough, fragmented surfaces that surround them. The artist masterfully uses light and shadow to emphasize the texture of the decaying walls. Ornamental candelabras and classical figures are juxtaposed against the crude brickwork, creating a sense of tension between idealized beauty and the ravages of time. Piranesi's strategic arrangement of forms destabilizes our understanding of the relationship between past and present. The image's semiotic system invites interpretation; the classical motifs act as signs of a lost era, while the decaying structure serves as a stark reminder of impermanence. This contrast functions not only as an aesthetic choice but also to challenge fixed meanings and values, prompting a re-evaluation of how we perceive history.