Le Antichità Romane (volume I)

published 1756

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Associated Names
Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Artist, Venetian, 1720 - 1778

The image features two illustrations. The top illustration shows a detailed architectural drawing of a stone block with labeled sections and parts marked with letters. The perspective is from a slight angle, emphasizing the three-dimensional aspect and showcasing architectural elements like channels and holes. The drawing style is technical and precise, with clean, deliberate lines defining the structure. The bottom illustration depicts an ancient ruin, potentially part of a coliseum or amphitheater. The perspective is from a low vantage point, looking up towards the structure. A series of arches guide the eye towards a tall tower in the middle, with additional buildings and vegetation in the background. The brushstrokes are expressive, creating a textured, cross-hatching effect to indicate the aged and overgrown nature of the ruins. The color palette is monochromatic, using contrasts of light and dark to convey depth and detail, similar to etchings or engravings.

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Artwork overview


Artwork history & notes

Bibliography

1918

  • Focillon, Henri. Giovanni-Battista Piranesi; essai de catalogue raisonne de son oeuvre. Paris: Librairie Renouard, Henri Laurens, 1918.

1922

  • Hind 1922, p.83-84.


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