Obelisk in de tuin van Ciriaco Mattei 1576 - 1618

This etching by Giovanni Maggi depicts an obelisk in the garden of Ciriaco Mattei, a nobleman in Rome. The obelisk, a tall, four-sided pillar topped with a sphere, is surrounded by a formal garden with symmetrical hedges and rows of trees. The inscription "SPQR" on the base of the obelisk refers to the Roman Republic, and the surrounding cityscape, including the distant hills, indicates the setting in Rome. The etching is a valuable documentation of a specific place and a form of architectural design popular in the 16th century.