Overview of the Capitoline Lapides 

Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s “Overview of the Capitoline Lapides” is an etching of a collection of fragmented Roman inscriptions and statues. The work is characteristic of Piranesi's interest in Roman antiquities, the artist meticulously documented ruins of the Roman Empire. The detailed etching showcases the architectural grandeur of ancient Rome through the fragmented pieces. Piranesi used the etching technique to recreate the texture and detail of the ruins in an evocative way, leaving the viewer to imagine the lost context of the ancient artifacts.