Vedute di Roma 

This etching by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, titled "Vedute di Roma", captures the bustling port of Ripa Grande. It depicts the maritime activity with a precise eye, highlighting the masts of ships that create a forest of timber against the Roman skyline. Consider the ship masts, symbols of travel and commerce since antiquity. They are a variation of the ‘axis mundi’, linking the terrestrial to the celestial, an image found as obelisks in ancient Egypt. In medieval times, the mast took the form of the cross in illuminated manuscripts. Here, Piranesi's masts evoke a sense of longing and connection to far-off lands. The rhythmic arrangement of the masts suggests a deeper, perhaps subconscious, yearning for exploration. This powerful, almost primeval motif, evokes in us the same fascination and awe that our ancestors felt when they looked upon these vertical symbols of human ambition and ingenuity. These images are not merely records, they are echoes of human endeavor, resurfacing across time and cultures, reminding us of our shared journeys.