Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: The Egyptian Obelisk of Constantine 1589

Giovanni Ambrogio Brambilla created this engraving of the Egyptian Obelisk of Constantine sometime between 1575 and 1599. The image is dominated by the strong verticality of the obelisk itself, rising centrally against the backdrop of Roman architecture. Brambilla's use of line is precise, defining the obelisk's form and the hieroglyphs that adorn it. These symbols, signs of an ancient culture, are presented here not for their original meaning, but as a formal pattern, a kind of visual code to be deciphered. The surrounding buildings are rendered with a rigid geometry, underscoring a sense of order and control. We might consider this work as an exercise in power – the power to represent, to classify, and to display. The obelisk, a relic of a conquered civilization, becomes a symbol of Rome itself, a monument to its enduring authority. Brambilla's engraving invites us to contemplate the relationship between form and ideology.