Fireplace with a frieze of griffins; hips candlestick 

Giovanni Battista Piranesi created this etching of a fireplace, complete with griffin frieze, sometime in the 18th century. Piranesi was an Italian artist, architect, and antiquarian, deeply invested in the grandeur of ancient Rome and its impact on contemporary design. Look closely, what do you feel? The imposing fireplace, adorned with mythological griffins, speaks to the era's fascination with classical antiquity, but it also reflects the socio-political context of 18th-century Europe, where displays of wealth and power were expressed through elaborate architectural elements. Fireplaces were focal points and a central element to social gatherings. Piranesi elevates the fireplace to an almost theatrical stage, framed by darkness. The domestic space transcends its functional purpose. How do you interpret the symbolism of the griffin, a creature that merges the strength of a lion with the vision of an eagle, in relation to the private sphere? This etching captures a moment of transition, where the intimacy of home is reimagined through the lens of classical ideals.