Parmiggiani has been superimposing these evocative images onto real spaces (walls, corners) as well as standalone panels since 1970. The shadowy outlines in his work signify the existence of concrete objects linked not just to human presence, but also a specifically Italian concern with classical, secular humanism. The paintings, sculptures, and books that appear in his works are made and used by man, and connote the fundamental basis of Greco-Roman intellectual traditions. Though these emblems have disappeared, the memory of their presence remains.