The Roman antiquities, t. 1, Plate XI. Porta Tiburtina. 1756

Giovanni Battista Piranesi created this etching of the Porta Tiburtina as part of his Roman antiquities series. The image is dominated by a stark contrast between the dense, shadowed rendering of the ancient structure and the flat, schematic representation of its surroundings. The composition employs a semiotic system. Each element functions as a sign pointing beyond itself. The meticulously detailed stonework of the gate evokes a sense of historical weight, while the geometric shapes used to depict the aqueducts and canals reduce them to abstract forms. This contrast destabilizes our perception, challenging any fixed meaning. Piranesi uses line and form to express a tension between the monumental presence of the past and the abstract language of architectural representation. The etching transcends mere documentation, engaging with broader ideas about time, memory, and the act of seeing itself. It encourages us to question how we construct and categorize knowledge.