The Gothic Arch

published 1800/1809

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Associated Names
Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Artist, Venetian, 1720 - 1778

This is a drawing of an interior with intricate architectural elements such as staircases and arches. The image showcases a complex network of arches, stairways, balustrades, and various architectural features. Cross-hatching creates contrast between light and shadow for depth. The structure appears massive, filled with intricate details that suggest an unfathomable scale. The drawing captures an atmosphere of mystery and intricacy, leading the viewer through a maze of corridors and pathways.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching, engraving, sulphur tint or open bite, burnishing

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet: 53.98 × 70.49 cm (21 1/4 × 27 3/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.6998

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Robison 1986, no. 40, State v/vi

Artwork history & notes

Exhibition History

1934

  • Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Pennsylvania Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA, 1934.

Bibliography

1918

  • Focillon 37.

1922

  • Hind 14.

1986

  • Robison, Andrew. Piranesi Early Architectural Fantasies: A Catalogue Raisonne of the Etchings. Washington: National Gallery of Art; Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1986.

Wikidata ID

Q65020199

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