The Parkway 

Salvatore Pinto created this cityscape view of a parkway with an etching. Notice how the buildings are crowned with plumes of smoke, symbols of industry and progress. The focal point, a statue atop a pedestal, reminds us of ancient victory columns, like Trajan's Column in Rome, celebrating triumphs of power and civilization. The dense hatching and linework evoke a dreamlike atmosphere, blurring the boundaries between the real and the imagined, inviting us to contemplate the nature of urban life. The layout of the city, with its ordered arrangement and open spaces, hints at a desire for harmony and control over the natural world, echoing the designs of Renaissance cityscapes aimed at perfecting the human environment. This image taps into our collective memory, and the way we subconsciously build up cities as projections of our aspirations and control.