Have set up modern pedestal stand by Benedict XIV 

Editor: This engraving, by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, seems to depict a kind of map or architectural plan, and the title mentions "Benedict XIV" which feels significant somehow. I'm drawn to the precision and detail in the linework. What symbolic elements do you see embedded within this seemingly straightforward plan? Curator: Indeed! Notice how the plan isn’t simply a guide, but an evocation of Rome’s layers of history, from the ancient ruins carefully rendered, to the Baroque structures rising. Piranesi isn't just showing us where things are; he's inviting us to consider what they represent. Do you see how the map seems to emphasize particular sites? Editor: Yes, the Piazza Colonna seems central. Is it pointing towards a symbolic emphasis on authority or perhaps urban planning ideas? Curator: Precisely. Colonna, named for the Column of Marcus Aurelius, symbolizes Imperial Rome’s enduring influence, but, placed within this 18th-century plan, it speaks to the papacy's attempt to link itself to that ancient glory. Benedict XIV was a great patron of the arts, consciously shaping Rome's image. Notice also how Piranesi’s use of shadow and texture, even in this “objective” map, adds an emotional weight. What stories do you think these places could tell if these stones could speak? Editor: It makes me consider how power uses and reshapes existing symbols for its own narrative. Thank you! Curator: And you, for noticing the threads that bind past and present. Visual language is always speaking.