Egyptian-style fireplace surmounted by two sphinxes and flanked by two great figures of harpists, a rich interior wing 

This detailed engraving shows Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s vision for an Egyptian-style fireplace. Piranesi created this piece during a time when Europe was fascinated by antiquity. Here, the sphinxes and harpists evoke the grandeur of ancient Egypt, but through an 18th-century lens. What does it mean for a European artist to reimagine another culture's symbols of power? The harpists, for instance, are depicted as strong, almost androgynous figures. This representation departs from traditional, more demure depictions of women, yet it also hints at the exoticization of non-Western cultures that was common at the time. Piranesi wasn’t just designing a fireplace; he was constructing an idea of Egypt. The artist invites us to think about how we project our desires and understandings onto other cultures, and how those projections shape our perceptions.