Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Italian, 1720–1778
Born in Mogliano Veneto; died in Rome.
Piranesi trained in Venice as an architect and stage designer before moving to Rome in 1740, where he spent the rest of his life. He is known above all for his etchings: the Views of Rome, more than a hundred large plates of ancient ruins and modern buildings, and the Imaginary Prisons, vast fantastical interiors of stairs, arches and machinery. A passionate champion of Roman architecture, he also published archaeological studies and designed the church of Santa Maria del Priorato.
Written by Ochre Editions.
- In the collection
- 4 worksDated 1744–1770
- Mostly
- Prints
- Movement
- RococoLight, playful and pastel: the decorative art of eighteenth-century Europe.
- Courtesy of
- The Art Institute of Chicago, The Met
