The Roman antiquities, t. 2, Plate XXXVIII. Cutaway view of the tomb before. 1756

This cutaway view of a Roman tomb was etched by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, sometime before 1778. Piranesi was fascinated by the material presence of ancient monuments, and here, he emphasizes the stone from which the tomb was constructed. Look closely at the image, and you can see the modular blocks of travertine, precisely hewn and fitted together. Consider the labor involved, from quarrying to transport to the final assembly. This was a society deeply invested in engineering and architecture. Piranesi’s etching technique mirrors the stonework itself, built up from many short, decisive lines. This suggests the physicality of the tomb, as well as the processes of extraction and construction behind it. His work brings to mind not only the design of the tomb, but the experience of those who labored to create it. Through his masterful process, Piranesi elevates the status of making. He reminds us that behind every monument, there are countless acts of skilled labor.