Thermen van Diocletianus 1680

This print depicts the Baths of Diocletian, rendered with the precision of engraved lines. The material here, ink on paper, is far removed from the grand scale and labor-intensive construction of the Roman baths themselves. The original structure was an ambitious feat of engineering, a symbol of Roman power, and involved countless laborers quarrying stone, mixing mortar, and erecting massive walls and vaults. This print reduces that immense effort to a delicate, repeatable image. Engraving itself is a skilled craft, demanding precision and control to translate three-dimensional forms into a two-dimensional image. The engraver meticulously carves lines into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed, creating multiple identical images. This process allowed for the widespread dissemination of architectural designs and historical views. This print invites us to consider the contrast between the monumentality of the Baths and the relative ease with which it can be reproduced, raising questions about labor, value, and the democratization of knowledge in the age of print.