The artwork is an etching titled “The Roman antiquities, t. 2, Plate XXXII. Plan and external view of the tomb of Alexander Severus located outside Porta S. John about a mile from the aqueducts.” Created by Giovanni Battista Piranesi in 1756 in Italy, it is part of the Neoclassicism art movement and falls under the design genre. This piece is a part of the series “Le antichità Romane.”
The artwork meticulously depicts a detailed plan and an external view of the tomb of Alexander Severus. The etching provides both a cross-sectional view of the internal structure and a perspective of the outside, showcasing the tomb’s architectural features. The tomb is presented with precision, as it includes annotations and measurements rendered with exceptional detail, typical of Piranesi’s work. Trees and natural elements surrounding the tomb are illustrated to provide context and enhance the composition, emphasizing the historical significance and architectural ingenuity of ancient Roman structures.
