Gezicht op het Sint-Pietersplein en de Sint-Pietersbasiliek te Vaticaanstad c. 1759 - 1796

This view of St. Peter's Square and Basilica in Vatican City, was made by Louis-Joseph Mondhare as an etching. At the heart of this grand vista stands an obelisk, a symbol with roots stretching back to ancient Egypt, where it represented the sun god Ra. The obelisk's journey from pharaonic monument to Christian Rome is a fascinating example of cultural appropriation and reinterpretation. Here, it symbolizes the triumph of Christianity, repurposed to stand in the heart of the Catholic world. Think of the obelisks erected by emperors to mark their power; now, in Rome, it marks spiritual authority. There's a psychological depth to this transformation. The act of taking an object of reverence from one culture and embedding it within another speaks to humanity's collective memory and subconscious desire to connect with the past, imbuing symbols with new layers of meaning. It shows how symbols are in continuous cultural transmission throughout time.