The Roman antiquities, t. 1, Plate XVII. Aqua Claudia. 1756

This is plate XVII from Giovanni Battista Piranesi's series on Roman antiquities, an etching made sometime before his death in 1778. Piranesi was a master of this process, using acid to bite lines into a copper plate, inking it, and then pressing the image onto paper. The dense, dark lines create a dramatic sense of scale and age, emphasizing the weight and permanence of Roman architecture. It's not just a record; Piranesi’s artistry gives us a palpable sense of the city's layered history. Consider the labor involved: quarrying the stone for the original aqueducts, the skilled work of the stonemasons, then Piranesi himself, meticulously rendering it all on the plate. This print isn't just about grand monuments; it is a testament to the cumulative effort of generations, transformed through his skilled hands into a powerful image. Ultimately, this image blurs the lines between documentation, art, and historical commentary.