Perspective view of a hotel 

This is Giovanni Battista Piranesi's "Perspective view of a hotel," an etching likely made in the mid-18th century. Piranesi was known for his dramatic and imaginative depictions of architecture, and this work exemplifies his interest in the grandeur of ancient Roman structures. The print captures a street in what was then believed to be Pompeii, and features ruins of shops and dwellings, rendered with meticulous detail and dramatic perspective. The figures are dwarfed by their environment. This adds to the sense of historical weight, but it can also remind us of the social hierarchies of the time. Who gets remembered? Who gets forgotten? As you look at this image, consider what it means to represent the past. Is this an accurate depiction, or is Piranesi using these ancient ruins to make a statement about his own time? How does the act of looking at the image across centuries shape our understanding of history, memory, and identity?