Grafmonument voor keizer Septimius Severus 1675 - 1711

This print, "Grafmonument voor keizer Septimius Severus," was made by an anonymous artist using engraving techniques. The medium itself—lines etched into a metal plate and then printed—offers a precise, almost architectural rendering of the monument. We see a highly structured, multi-tiered edifice, adorned with statues and archways. The physical labor involved in engraving, carefully incising each line, mirrors the monumental labor required to build such a structure in ancient times. The print also reflects the social context of its making. It belongs to a long tradition of disseminating classical architecture through prints, making it accessible to a wider audience. The monument becomes both a historical record and a product of its own time, shaped by the artist's hand and the printing press. Ultimately, this print reminds us that even seemingly straightforward depictions of architecture are deeply intertwined with processes of making, social meanings, and cultural values.