Gezicht op de Vierstromenfontein op het Piazza Navona in Rome before 1898

This anonymous image captures the Fountain of Four Rivers in Piazza Navona, Rome. As a public space, this piazza has long been a site of spectacle and power. Here, the fountain emerges as a symbol of global dominance, with each river god representing a major river from different continents then known to Europeans. The identities of the figures, reflective of a colonial worldview, naturalize the concept of Western superiority. The fountain, like the city of Rome itself, becomes a stage upon which narratives of power and identity play out. Consider the artist's perspective: were they celebrating the grandeur of Rome, or subtly critiquing the imperial narratives embedded within its monuments? This image evokes a sense of the past, prompting us to reflect on how history shapes our present and future.