Egyptian Obelisk. This was erected by Pope Sixtus V in the Piazza of St. John Lateran, from Views of Rome 1750s

Giovanni Battista Piranesi created this etching, "Egyptian Obelisk," as part of his "Views of Rome" series. The print captures the towering obelisk erected by Pope Sixtus V in the Piazza of St. John Lateran. The composition is dominated by the obelisk, a strong vertical form that rises dramatically against a backdrop of swirling clouds. Piranesi masterfully uses line and contrast to emphasize the monumentality of the obelisk, its surface teeming with hieroglyphs rendered in meticulous detail. The surrounding architecture and figures are dwarfed, underscoring the obelisk's imposing presence. Piranesi's work invites us to consider Rome as a layered text, where ancient Egyptian symbols are recontextualized within a Christian framework. The obelisk, originally a symbol of Egyptian power, now stands as a testament to the Roman Empire's appropriation and transformation of earlier cultures, reflecting how signs and symbols take on new meanings depending on their placement and use.