Urn of marble containing the remains of Lucius Aurelius Terenten and his wife, found in 1766 

This etching of a marble urn containing the remains of Lucius Aurelius Terenten and his wife was made by Giovanni Battista Piranesi in 1766. Piranesi, an Italian artist known for his etchings of Roman architecture and ruins, captures the grand aesthetic and the elaborate detail of the urn. It's impossible to ignore the layers of identity embedded in this image. We see the names of a Roman couple, the craftsmanship of an Italian artist, and the gaze of a modern audience. The urn itself is adorned with classical motifs - sphinxes, urns, and inscriptions - each symbolizing status, memory, and cultural heritage. The inscription on the urn personalizes this monument to a specific relationship, revealing a desire to be remembered not just as individuals, but as a couple. In Piranesi’s depiction, the urn becomes a stage for exploring themes of love, loss, and legacy across centuries. It invites us to consider our own relationships with history, memory, and the objects that outlive us.