Zuil van Marcus Aurelius te Rome

Giovanni Maggi made this print of the Column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome around the year 1600, using etching. This is an intaglio process, where lines are incised into a metal plate, inked, and then pressed onto paper. What's so wonderful about etching is how well it captures detail. Look closely, and you’ll see the marks of the etcher's tools, giving life to the scene. The relatively light touch of the medium perfectly suits the subject: this tall, freestanding monument that commemorates the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. Covered in a spiraling frieze depicting his military campaigns, it speaks to the labor and skill required to extract, carve, and erect such a massive object. Though the column itself embodies imperial power, Maggi’s etching invites us to consider the column in relation to the city around it, teeming with people and other signs of life. This artwork reminds us that even the most monumental achievements are the result of human effort, and are always part of a larger social fabric.