Gezicht op een bankgebouw in Berlijn, Duitsland before 1877

This print presents a bank building in Berlin, its facade adorned with classical motifs, symbols of stability and enduring power in the world of finance. Notice the repetitive use of rectangular windows, evoking a sense of order and rationalism, a visual echo of the Enlightenment values that underpinned the modern banking system. On the roofline we see the statues, figures that remind us of ancient Roman forums. These architectural gestures are not unique to Berlin. Consider the Corinthian columns in banking halls across Europe and America, each a deliberate attempt to tie the institution to the perceived glory and trustworthiness of the classical world. This continuous return to classical forms reveals a deep-seated psychological need to legitimize contemporary power structures by associating them with a venerable past, a means of easing anxieties about the volatile nature of capital with symbols of timelessness.