Plate 10: Three figures at left and two figures running at right, after a lost fresco in the basamento of Bay 9 in the Vatican Loggia 1650 - 1677

This print, "Plate 10," by Pietro Santi Bartoli, likely from the late 17th century, meticulously captures figures from a lost Vatican fresco using etching. The linear precision and the stark contrast of light and shadow immediately draw your eye, creating a dramatic sense of depth within the compact space. Bartoli divides the composition into distinct panels. On the left, three standing figures are reminiscent of classical sculpture, their poses static and contemplative. The figures' stillness sharply contrasts with the dynamic movement on the right, where two figures appear to be fleeing, their drapery billowing behind them, conveying a sense of urgency. In the center of the composition sits a closed door. The door represents a barrier or a transition, hinting at themes of access, exclusion, and transformation. Bartoli's choice to document this fresco as a print suggests an effort to preserve and disseminate classical ideals. The artwork becomes a semiotic exercise, prompting us to interpret how these forms and motifs navigate historical memory.