The Roman antiquities, t. 2, Plate XXVII. Plan of a factory tomb outside Porta Maggiore in a vineyard next to Tower Pignataro. 1756

Giovanni Battista Piranesi made this etching, “The Roman antiquities, t. 2, Plate XXVII. Plan of a factory tomb outside Porta Maggiore in a vineyard next to Tower Pignataro,” in the 18th century. Piranesi was known for his detailed and dramatic depictions of Roman architecture, and he was deeply influenced by the rediscovery of Pompeii in 1748. This print offers a bird’s eye view, elevation, and cross section of an ancient Roman tomb located outside the city walls. While seemingly a straightforward architectural record, Piranesi’s prints often romanticized the grandeur of Rome. This tomb, with its geometric layout and imposing structure, represents a civilization that has crumbled. Looking at this print, you might consider what Piranesi is trying to convey. Is it a nostalgic yearning for a lost empire, or a commentary on the fleeting nature of human achievement? The tomb itself, once a site of mourning and remembrance, is now an object of study, a ruin to be measured and cataloged.