Statement of the Sarcophagus of Scipio Barbato and the monument of Cornelia Hall 

Giovanni Battista Piranesi made this etching of the Sarcophagus of Scipio Barbato and the monument of Cornelia Hall. Piranesi renders the stone surfaces with incredible accuracy, capturing the textures, the weight, and the cool color of the marble. The linear precision shows us how the monuments would have been carved. We get a sense of the stonemason's tools, the slow, repetitive labor required to shape the stone and inscribe the Latin text. Piranesi was deeply interested in the grandeur of ancient Rome and wanted to share it with others. Etchings like this one were relatively inexpensive and easily portable. In his skillful use of line and tone, and the distribution of prints like this, he became a kind of proto-photographer, enabling a widespread appreciation of ancient artifacts. These images blur the line between documentation, artistic interpretation, and commercial distribution, expanding our understanding of both art and ancient history.