Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: Column of Antoninus and a Roman Obelisk 1530 - 1580

This print, whose creator and date remain unknown, depicts the Column of Antoninus alongside a Roman obelisk. It comes to us from a collection titled "Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae," or "Mirror of Roman Magnificence." As a collection, it reflects the early-modern fascination with the grandeur of Rome. This interest wasn’t simply aesthetic, it was deeply intertwined with the social and political climate of the time. Powerful families and institutions like the papacy often used art and architecture to legitimize their authority, drawing direct parallels between themselves and the Roman emperors. Prints such as this provided a means to circulate and democratize this fascination with Roman power. Understanding this image requires looking at the broader context of patronage, artistic production, and the role of antiquities in shaping cultural identity. Through detailed research into the original context we can come to understand the image as a historical artifact in its own right.