Piranesi Selection
Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778) one of the greatest printmakers of the eighteenth century, soon after his arrival in Rome in 1740 apprenticed himself to the medium of etching at his master, Giuseppe Vasi. The knowledge of ancient building methods demonstrated by Piranesi's archaeological prints in his Antichità Romane of 1756 won him election to the Society of Antiquarians of London. In the series Grotteschi and the Carceri, Piranesi explored the possibilities of perspective and spatial illusion while pushing the medium of etching to its limits. While Piranesi championed the art of Rome, he was not indifferent to the charms of Greek art, nor to that of the Egyptians, as is evident from the series Diverse maniere d'adornare i camini of 1769, which includes etched plates in the Etruscan, Greek, Roman, and even Rococo styles. By 1747, Piranesi had begun the work for which he is best known, the Vedute di Roma (Views of Rome), and he continued to produce plates for the series until the year of his death in 1778. Piranesi argued for the complete freedom of the architect to draw on models from every time and space as an inspiration for his own inventions. Piranesi's etchings, being popular souvenirs among the wealthy tourists of the time visiting the historical beauties of Italy on the Grand Tour, circulated throughout Europe influencing decorative trends. Piranesi's popular Vedute, which eclipsed earlier views of Roman landmarks through their dynamic compositions, bold lighting effects, and dramatic presentation, are considered to be one of the best expression of neoclassicism.
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PONTE AND CASTEL S. ANGELO, Year 1754 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE HARBOUR AND QUAY, CALLED THE RIPA GRANDE. Year 1753 Piranesi, Giovanni: HADRIAN'S VILLA, THE SO-CALLED HELIOCAMINUS. Year 1777
Piranesi, Giovanni: S. MARIA MAGGIORE WITH THE OBELISK IN THE PIAZZA DELL' ESQUILINO. Year 1749 Piranesi, Giovanni: Temple of Neptune in Paestum, View of the Interior from the West, Year 1778 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE TEMPLE OF SATURN, WITH THE ARCH OF SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS IN THE BACKGROUND, Year 1774
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE BATHS OF TRAJAN (ERRONEOUSLY CALLED BATHS OF TITUS), Year 1776 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE VILLA ALBANI, Year 1769 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PIAZZA DEL QUIRINALE WITH THE STATUES OF THE HORSE-TAMERS SEEN FROM THE BACK, Year 1773
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE AQUEDUCT OF NERO LEADING TO THE PALATINE, Year 1775 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE COLOSSEUM, Year 1757 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PALAZZO DI MONTE CITORIO, Year 1752
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE FONTANA DELL ACQUA PAOLA, Year 1751 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE TEMPLE OF FORTUNA VIRILIS, Year 1758 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PALAZZO FARNESE, Year 1773
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PIAZZA NAVONA, WITH S. AGNESE ON THE RIGHT, Year 1751. Piranesi, Giovanni: THE BASILICA OF S. SEBASTIANO. Year 1750 Piranesi, Giovanni: VIEW OF CAMPO VACCINO, Year 1772
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE COLOSSEUM, Year 1757. Piranesi, Giovanni: ST. PETER'S, WITH FORECOURT AND COLONNADES. FOUNTAIN IN FOREGROUND, Year 1748 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE FORUM ROMANUM, OR CAMPO VACCINO, FROM THE CAPITOL, Year 1757
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE BASILICA OF CONSTANTINE: WITH A STREET SEEN THROUGH ARCHES ON THE LEFT, Year 1774 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE BATHS OF CARACALLA. INTERIOR OF THE CENTRAL HALL, Year 1765 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE BATHS OF CARACALLA. BIRD'S-EYE VIEW, Year 1765
Pirnesi, Giovanni: THE BATHS OF DIOCLETIAN: INTERIOR OF FRIGIDARIUM, SOUTH WALL; Year 1774- Piranesi, Giovanni: HADRIAN'S VILLA: THE PIAZZA D'ORO, Year 1776 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE TRAJAN'S COLUMN, Year 1758
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE FORUM ROMANUM, OR CAMPO VACCINO, FROM THE CAPITOL,  Year 1757 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PYRAMID OF CAIUS CESTIUS WITH THE PORTA S. PAOLO, Year 1755 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE VILLA D'ESTE IN TIVOLI, Year 1773
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE TOMB OF THE PLAUTII, NEAR THE PONTE LUCANO. Year 1761 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE SMALLER HARBOUR CALLED THE PORTO DI RIPETTA. Year 1753 Piranesi, Giovanni: The Staircase with Trophies, 1749
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE HARBOUR CALLED THE RIPA GRANDE. Year 1753 Piranesi, Giovanni: ALLEGORY OF RUINS WITH STATUE OF MINERVA, Year 1748 Piranesi, Giovanni: ALLEGORY OF RUINS WITH STATUE OF MINERVA, Year 1748
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PIAZZA DEL CAMPIDOGLIO, Year 1774 Piranesi, Giovanni: SANTA COSTANZA’S INTERIOR, Year 1756. Piranesi, Giovanni: THE SMALL WATERFALL AND RAPIDS AT TIVOLI, Year 1769
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE TRIUMPHAL ARCH, Year 1750 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE ANCIENT VIA APPIA, Year 1756 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PIAZZA DEL POPOLO. 1750.
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE FORUM ROMANUM, WITH THE TEMPLE OF CASTOR AND POLLUX, Year 1756. Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PONTE FERRATO, Year 1756 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE CLOACA MAXIMA, Year 1778
Piranesi, Giovanni: PALAZZO DELLA CONSULTA AT THE QUIRINALE, Year 1749 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PANTHEON, INTERIOR OF THE PORTICO, Year 1769 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE ARCH OF CONSTANTINE, Year 1771
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE WATERFALL AT THE CITY OF TIVOLI, Year 1766 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE VILLA PAMPHILI, Year I776. Piranesi, Giovanni: HADRIAN'S VILLA: THE SO-CALLED POECILE, Year 1770
Piranesi, Giovanni: TEMPLE OF THE SIBYL IN TIVOLI, Year 1761 Piranesi, Giovanni: TEMPLE OF VENUS (CALLED OF SOL AND LUNA), Year 1759. Piranesi, Giovanni: TEMPLE OF VESPASIANO (GIOVE TONANTE), Year 1756
Piranesi, Giovanni: BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF ST. PETER'S, WITH FORECOURT AND COLONNADES, Year 1775. Piranesi, Giovanni: ST. PETER'S, FROM THE PIAZZA DELLA SAGRESTIA, Year 1748 Piranesi, Giovanni: ST. PETER'S, INTERIOR BENEATH THE DOME, Year 1773
Piranesi, Giovanni: ST. PETER'S INTERIOR WITH THE NAVE, Year 1748. Piranesi, Giovanni: S. GIOVANNI IN LATERANO, MAIN FACADE, WITH PALACE AND SCALA SANTA ON THE RIGHT, Year 1749. Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PORTICO OF OCTAVIA, Year 1760
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PALAZZO ODESCALCHI, Year 1753 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PALAZZO BARBERINI, Year 1749 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PORTA MAGGIORE, ORIGINALLY AN ARCHWAY OF THE ACQUA CLAUDIA, Year 1775
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE MAUSOLEUM OF THE PLAUTII, NEAR TIVOLI, Year 1765 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE BASILICA OF CONSTANTINE, Year 1757 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE FORUM OF NERVA, Year 1757
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE ARCH OF CONSTANTINE AND THE COLOSSEUM, Year 1760. Piranesi, Giovanni: THE FONTANA DELL'ACQUA FELICE, Year 1751. Piranesi, Giovanni: TEMPLE OF CIBELE NEAR BOCCA DELLA VERITA, Year 1758.
Piranesi, Giovanni: ARCH OF SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS, WITH THE CHURCH OF S. MARTINA, Year 1759 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE ARCH OF TITUS, Year 1760. Piranesi, Giovanni: PIAZZA DELLA ROTONDA, WITH PANTHEON AND OBELISK, Year 1751.
Piranesi, Giovanni: PIAZZA DI SPAGNA, Year 1750 Piranesi, Giovanni: BASILICA OF S. LORENZO FUORI LE MURA, Year 1750 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE BATHS OF DIOCLETIAN, SHOWING THE CHURCH OF S. MARIA DEGLI ANGELI AND THE PIAZZA., Year 1774
Piranesi, Giovanni: FANTASY OF RUINS WITH STATUE OF MINERVA, Year 1748 Piranesi, Giovanni: VIEW OF CAMPO VACCINO, Year 1772 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE HADRIANEUM IN THE PIAZZA DI PIETRA. 1753
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE ISOLA TIBERINA, WITH S. BARTOLOMEO IN THE FOREGROUND, Year 1775. Piranesi, Giovanni: THE TREVI FOUNTAIN, Year 1751 Piranesi, Giovanni: FRONT VIEW OF THE FONTANA DI TREVI, Year 1773.
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE CAPITOL, SEEN FROM THE SIDE OF THE CENTRAL STEPS, Year 1757 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE COLOSSEUM, Year 1757. Piranesi, Giovanni: INTERIOR OF THE TEMPLE OF NEPTUNE, Year 1778
Piranesi, Giovanni: INTERIOR of S. MARIA DEGLI ANGIOLI, FORMERLY THE CENTRAL HALL OF THE BATHS OF DIOCLETIAN, Year 1776. anesi, Giovanni: THE COLUMN OF MARCUS AURELIUS, Year 1758 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE THEATRE OF MARCELLUS, Year 1757
Piranesi, Giovanni: SUBSTRUCTURE OF THE TEMPLE OF CLAUDIUS (FORMERLY CALLED THE CURIA HOSTILIA), Year 1757 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE CAPITOL AND THE STEPS OF S. MARIA IN ARACOELI, Year 1775 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PIAZZA AND BASILICA OF S. GIOVANNI IN LATERANO WITH THE OBELISK, Year 1775.
Piranesi, Giovanni: THE TEMPLE OF ANTONINUS AND FAUSTINA, Year 1758. Piranesi, Giovanni: PIAZZA DEL QUIRINALE, WITH THE STATUES OF THE HORSES IN SIDE VIEW, Year 1750. Piranesi, Giovanni: THE COLOSSEUM INTERIOR, Year 1766.
Piranesi, Giovanni: PONTE MOLLE ON THE RIVER TEVERE, Year 1762. Piranesi, Giovanni: INTERIOR OF S. PAOLO FUORI LE MURA, Year 1749. Piranesi, Giovanni: EGYPTIAN OBELISK IN THE PIAZZA DI S. GIOVANNI IN LATERANO, Year I759.
Piranesi, Giovanni: CHURCH OF ST. CROCE IN GERUSALEMME, Year 1750. Piranesi, Giovanni: PIAZZA DEL QUIRINALE, WITH THE STATUES OF THE HORSES IN SIDE VIEW, Year 1750. Piranesi, Giovanni: PIAZZA DEL QUIRINALE, WITH THE STATUES OF THE HORSES IN SIDE VIEW, Year 1750.
Piranesi, Giovanni: TWO CHURCHES NEAR TRAJAN'S COLUMN, Year 1762. Piranesi, Francesco: Topography of the Excavations of the City of Pompeii, Year 1785 Piranesi, Francesco: View of the Gate of the City of Pompeii, Year 1788/89
Piranesi, Francesco: View of the Temple of Isis in the City of Pompeii, Year 1788/89 Piranesi, Francesco: View of the Mausoleum of Mamia in the City of Pompeii, Year 1788/89 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE PYRAMID OF CAIUS CESTIUS, Year 1756.
Piranesi, Giovanni: PIAZZA NAVONA, WITH S. AGNESE ON THE LEFT, Year 1773 Piranesi, Giovanni: THE ARCH OF BENEVENTUM, Year 1778 Piranesi, Giovanni: BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF THE COLOSSEUM, Year 1776.