Romulus hangt het harnas van Acron in een heilige boom op het Capitool 1572 - 1573

Giovanni Battista Fontana created "Romulus hangt het harnas van Acron in een heilige boom op het Capitool" using etching techniques. The print is dominated by intricate lines forming dense textures and patterns, evoking a sense of historical grandeur and solemnity. The composition centres on Romulus, who hangs the armor, creating a visual axis that guides the viewer’s gaze. Fontana uses the medium’s capacity for detail to delineate the textures of armor, foliage, and human figures. The architecture in the background, meticulously rendered, adds depth. The ritualistic act of displaying Acron's armor can be interpreted through semiotics. Here, the tree and armor function as signs, symbolizing victory and divine sanction. Fontana challenges fixed meanings by intertwining religious and military symbolism, suggesting that Romulus’s power is divinely ordained. The overall structure of the piece, with its detailed etching, exemplifies how formal elements can reinforce ideological narratives about power, conquest, and legitimacy.