The Temple of Isis de face, with the two wings of his peristillo 

This etching, by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, depicts a frontal view of the Temple of Isis. The columns and the architecture surrounding the temple are the dominant visual symbols, pointing to ancient beliefs and rituals. The columns, reaching towards the heavens, are a motif found in numerous cultures. Think of the pillars in Egyptian temples and the columns of ancient Greece. They are a reminder of our aspirations and our connection to what lies beyond. The Isis temple depicted in the image evokes a sense of the past. These ruins elicit a feeling of nostalgia, a longing for a lost era, or an idealized past. These motifs and gestures are more than mere aesthetic choices. They are deeply rooted in our collective memory, echoing through time and reappearing in different contexts. The image engages the viewer on a deep, subconscious level. It is a powerful reminder of our shared history, a history that is not linear but cyclical, resurfacing and evolving, taking on new meanings in different historical contexts.