The Drawbridge

published 1750/1758

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Associated Names
Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Artist, Venetian, 1720 - 1778

This is a drawing of an intricate architectural fantasy. The image depicts a complex network of bridges, arches, and spiral staircases set within a vast vaulted space. Various structures, including towers and columns, intersect at multiple levels, creating a labyrinthine environment. Converging lines and cross-hatching techniques add to the depth and texture of the artwork.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching, engraving, and scratching

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Accession Number

    1946.21.392

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Robison 1986, no. 33, State i/vi

  • Series Title

    Carceri (Imaginary Prisons)

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

one of set of 13 prints (NGA 1946.21.389-401) purchased by Lessing J. Rosenwald, Philadelphia, from William H. Schab, 4 October 1946 (JYAE; 46.193); gift to NGA, 1946.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1950

  • Rosenwald Collection: An Exhibition of Recent Acquisitions, NGA, 1950, no. 94, repro.

2004

  • The Unfinished Print, The Frick Collection, New York; Städelsches Kunstinstitut, Frankfurt am Main, 2004-2005.

Bibliography

1918

  • Focillon 30.

1922

  • Hind 7.

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.

Watermarks

Fleur-de-lis (Robison 5)

Wikidata ID

Q65072791

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