Gezicht op de Santi Domenico e Sisto en de Santa Caterina a Magnanapoli, te Rome after 1760

This anonymous print presents the churches of Santi Domenico e Sisto and Santa Caterina a Magnanapoli in Rome. The architectural motifs, such as the domes, columns, and statues atop the buildings, act as a visual language, speaking to the power and authority of the Catholic Church. The dome, in particular, is a motif that has journeyed through time. From the Pantheon's oculus to the Hagia Sophia’s grand dome, it symbolizes the heavens and divine presence. In a psychoanalytic light, one might see the dome as a representation of the self, its roundness echoing the maternal form, providing a sense of protection and enclosure. Yet here, these grand structures also suggest the imposing presence of religious institutions. The gestures of raising one's eyes toward the heavens and building temples have resurfaced throughout history. Such gestures reflect our collective, subconscious yearning to connect with the divine. It is a cultural memory etched in stone, an emotional echo resonating through centuries.