Antiquarum Statuorum urbis Romae. . .Icones (Rome: Lorenzo Vaccari, 1584) 1575 - 1600

This engraving by Étienne Dupérac, made in Rome in 1584, depicts ancient Roman ruins. Look at the columns. Once symbols of power and order in grand temples, they now stand in varied states of decay. These columns, in their ruined state, echo the transience of human achievement, a theme that resonates across centuries. Consider the fragmented columns; they evoke the powerful imagery found in Piranesi's etchings of Rome centuries later. This motif of architectural decay speaks to a deeper psychological undercurrent, a collective memory of the rise and fall of civilizations, touching on our primal fears of impermanence. The image engages us on a subconscious level, reminding us that even the most impressive structures are subject to time, embodying the cyclical progression of history. The columns’ symbolic journey reminds us that the past is never truly gone, but is constantly being reinterpreted.