Vertical section of the Trajan column, with six plants taken at various heights, three boards together 

This is Giovanni Battista Piranesi's "Vertical section of the Trajan column" done sometime before 1778. The print's stark lines and meticulously rendered details present a powerful visual statement, capturing both the structural integrity and the spiraling form of the iconic Roman monument. The composition, with its combination of elevation and plan views, invites us to dissect the column's design. The interplay between the geometric precision of the architectural elements and the textural richness of the column's surface suggests a complex dialogue between order and ornamentation. Piranesi is not merely documenting; he's engaging in an act of interpretation, revealing the column as a semiotic structure, where every line and form carries meaning. Through this print, Piranesi challenges fixed meanings, inviting viewers to reconsider how we perceive space, history, and the very act of representation. His work reminds us that art is not just about what we see, but how we see, and the cultural and philosophical lenses through which we interpret the world.