Vatican Obelisk at St. Peter's in the Vatican 1837

Editor: This is Domenico Amici's "Vatican Obelisk at St. Peter's in the Vatican". It's an engraving, and I'm immediately struck by how it captures the sheer scale of the obelisk against the buildings. What details or aspects of the piece stand out to you? Curator: It's more than just scale, isn't it? I feel a sense of permanence, of history bearing down on the present. Amici’s lines are so precise, but the light gives it such airy weightlessness. Does the scene feel imposing, or strangely… comforting? Editor: I think the imposing feeling comes from the height of the obelisk, but it does look welcoming with all the people milling about. Curator: Perhaps that’s the trick, isn’t it? Juxtaposing immense scale with everyday life. It makes the grand feel approachable, and the mundane feel, well, a little bit miraculous. What will you take away from this image, then? Editor: Definitely a new appreciation for the way artists use scale to change our perspective.