The artwork “The Roman antiquities, t. 2, Plate LIV. Registration of Soldiers Praetorian guards” by Giovanni Battista Piranesi is an etching in the Neoclassicism art movement, categorized under the design genre, and part of the series “Le antichità Romane.”
The artwork depicts three intricately detailed stone slabs each bearing inscriptions. These inscriptions appear to function as commemorative plaques for the Praetorian guards, an elite unit of the Imperial Roman army. The stones are presented with a high degree of architectural precision, showcasing Piranesi’s meticulous attention to detail and historical accuracy. The central slab is larger and more rounded compared to the two flanking rectangular slabs, and the inscriptions are incised with elegant Roman lettering. The surrounding detailing features classic Neoclassical design elements, including rosettes and laurel wreaths, emblematic of Roman artistic heritage. The shadows and textures etched into the slabs give them a lifelike, almost three-dimensional quality.
