Resten van de Tempel van Hadrianus te Rome c. 1750 - 1799

This print of the Temple of Hadrian in Rome, made by Giovanni Maria Cassini, is not just an image. It’s a product of skilled labor and a reflection of its time. Cassini used etching, a printmaking technique with a sharp needle on a metal plate covered with wax. After bathing the plate in acid, the incised lines hold ink, which then transfers to paper under immense pressure. The fineness of the lines demonstrates Cassini’s mastery. The choice of subject is significant, too. Ancient Roman architecture was a source of civic pride, and these prints were made for a burgeoning tourist market. Consider the contrast: the grandeur of the Temple, built through vast amounts of enslaved labor, now reduced to a relic, repackaged as a commodity. We must acknowledge the layers of context embedded in this image. It challenges us to think about how artistic skill, historical representation, and commerce intertwine, blurring the lines between art, craft, and economic exchange.