Giovanni Battista (or Giambattista) Piranesi (; also known as simply Piranesi; 4 October 1720 – 9 November 1778) was an
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
Classical archaeologist,
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
, and
artist, famous for his
etching
Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In modern manufacturing, other chemicals may be used on other types ...
s of
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
and of fictitious and atmospheric "prisons" (''
Carceri d'invenzione
''Carceri d'invenzione'', often translated as ''Imaginary Prisons'', is a series of 16 etchings by the Italian artist Giovanni Battista Piranesi, 14 produced from c. 1745 to 1750, when the first edition of the set was published. All depict enormo ...
''). He was the father of
Francesco Piranesi,
Laura Piranesi and .
Biography
Piranesi was born in
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
, in the parish of S. Moisè where he was baptised. His father was a
stonemason. His brother Andrea introduced him to
Latin literature
Latin literature includes the essays, histories, poems, plays, and other writings written in the Latin language. The beginning of formal Latin literature dates to 240 BC, when the first stage play in Latin was performed in Rome. Latin literature ...
and
ancient Greco-Roman civilization, and later he was apprenticed under his uncle,
Matteo Lucchesi, who was a leading architect in ''Magistrato delle Acque'', the state organization responsible for engineering and restoring historical buildings.
From 1740, he had an opportunity to work in Rome as a
draughtsman for Marco Foscarini, the Venetian ambassador of the new
Pope Benedict XIV
Pope Benedict XIV ( la, Benedictus XIV; it, Benedetto XIV; 31 March 1675 – 3 May 1758), born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 17 August 1740 to his death in May 1758. Pope Be ...
. He resided in the
Palazzo Venezia
The Palazzo Venezia or Palazzo Barbo (), formerly Palace of St. Mark, is a palazzo (palace) in central Rome, Italy, just north of the Capitoline Hill. The original structure of this great architectural complex consisted of a modest medieval hous ...
and studied under
Giuseppe Vasi, who introduced him to the art of etching and
engraving
Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard, usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it with a burin. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an in ...
of the city and its monuments. Giuseppe Vasi found Piranesi's talent was much greater than that of a mere engraver. According to Legrand, Vasi told Piranesi that "you are too much of a painter, my friend, to be an engraver."
After his studies with Vasi, he collaborated with pupils of the
French Academy in Rome
The French Academy in Rome (french: Académie de France à Rome) is an Academy located in the Villa Medici, within the Villa Borghese, on the Pincio (Pincian Hill) in Rome, Italy.
History
The Academy was founded at the Palazzo Capranica in ...
to produce a series of ''vedute'' (views) of the city; his first work was ''Prima parte di Architettura e Prospettive'' (1743), followed in 1745 by ''Varie Vedute di Roma Antica e Moderna''.
From 1743 to 1747, he was mainly in Venice where, according to some sources, he often visited
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, a leading artist in Venice. It was Tiepolo who expanded the restrictive conventions of reproductive, topographical and antiquarian engravings. He then returned to Rome, where he opened a workshop in
Via del Corso
The Via del Corso is a main street in the historical centre of Rome. It is straight in an area otherwise characterized by narrow meandering alleys and small piazzas. Considered a wide street in ancient times, the Corso is approximately 10 metres w ...
. In 1748–1774, he created an important series of ''
vedute
A ''veduta'' (Italian for "view"; plural ''vedute'') is a highly detailed, usually large-scale painting or, more often, print of a cityscape or some other vista. The painters of ''vedute'' are referred to as ''vedutisti''.
Origins
This genre ...
'' of the city which established his fame. In the meantime Piranesi devoted himself to the measurement of many of the ancient buildings: this led to the publication of ''Le Antichità Romane de' tempo della prima Repubblica e dei primi imperatori'' ("Roman Antiquities of the Time of the First Republic and the First Emperors"). In 1761, he became a member of the
Accademia di San Luca
The Accademia di San Luca (the "Academy of Saint Luke") is an Italian academy of artists in Rome. The establishment of the Accademia de i Pittori e Scultori di Roma was approved by papal brief in 1577, and in 1593 Federico Zuccari became its fi ...
and opened a printing house of his own. In 1762, the ''Campo Marzio dell'antica Roma'' collection of engravings was printed.
The following year he was commissioned by
Pope Clement XIII
Pope Clement XIII ( la, Clemens XIII; it, Clemente XIII; 7 March 1693 – 2 February 1769), born Carlo della Torre di Rezzonico, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 July 1758 to his death in February 1769. ...
to restore the choir of
San Giovanni in Laterano
The Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in the Lateran ( it, Arcibasilica del Santissimo Salvatore e dei Santi Giovanni Battista ed Evangelista in Laterano), also known as the Papa ...
, but the work did not materialize. In 1764, one of the Pope's nephews, Cardinal Rezzonico, appointed him to start his only architectural work, the restoration of the church of
Santa Maria del Priorato
The Church of St. Mary of the Priory ( it, Chiesa di Santa Maria del Priorato), also known as St. Mary on the Aventine ( it, Santa Maria in Aventino), is the monastery church of the Priory of the Knights of Malta on the Aventine Hill in Rome, a ...
in the Villa of the
Knights of Malta, on Rome's
Aventine Hill. He combined
Classical architectural elements, trophies and escutcheons with his own particular imaginative genius for the design of the facade of the church and the walls of the adjacent Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta.
In 1767, he was made a
knight of the Golden Spur, which enabled him to sign himself "Cav
lierePiranesi". In 1769, his publication of a series of ingenious and sometimes bizarre designs for chimneypieces, as well as an original range of furniture pieces, established his place as a versatile and resourceful designer. In 1776, he created his best known work as a 'restorer' of ancient sculpture, the ''
Piranesi Vase'', and in 1777–78 he published ''Avanzi degli Edifici di Pesto'' (Remains of the Edifices of
Paestum
Paestum ( , , ) was a major ancient Greek city on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea in Magna Graecia (southern Italy). The ruins of Paestum are famous for their three ancient Greek temples in the Doric order, dating from about 550 to 450 BC, whi ...
).
He died in Rome in 1778 after a long illness, and was buried in the church he had helped restore, Santa Maria del Priorato. His tomb was designed by
Giuseppi Angelini.
The ''Views'' (''Vedute'')
![Giovanni Battista Piranesi, The Colosseum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Giovanni_Battista_Piranesi%2C_The_Colosseum.png)
Even though the social structure by an aristocracy remained rigid and oppressive, Venice revived through the
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the principally 17th- to early 19th-century custom of a traditional trip through Europe, with Italy as a key destination, undertaken by upper-class young European men of sufficient means and rank (typically accompanied by a tut ...
as the center of intellectual and international exchange in the eighteenth century. The ideas of the Enlightenment stimulated theorists and artists all over Europe including Paris, Dresden, and London. New forms of artistic expression emerged: veduta, capriccio, and veduta ideata, topographical view, architectural fantasy, accurate renderings of ancient monuments assembled with imaginary compositions in response to the demand of increased visitors.
The developing center of the Grand Tour was Rome. Rome became a new meeting place and intellectual capital of Europe for the leaders of a new movement in the arts. The city was attracting artists and architects from all over Europe beside the Grand Tourists, dealers and antiquarians. While many came through official institutions such as the French Academy, others came to see the new discoveries at
Herculaneum and
Pompeii. Coffee shops were frequent gathering places, most famously the
Antico Caffè Greco, established 1760. The Caffe degli Inglesi opened several years later, at the foot of the Spanish Steps in
Piazza di Spagna
Piazza di Spagna ("Spanish Square"), at the bottom of the Spanish Steps, is one of the most famous squares in Rome, Italy. It owes its name to the Palazzo di Spagna, the seat of the Embassy of Spain to the Holy See. There is also the famed Colum ...
, with wall paintings by Piranesi. With his own print workshop and museo of antiquities nearby, Piranesi was able to cultivate relationships in both places with wealthy buyers on the tour, particularly English.
The remains of Rome kindled Piranesi's enthusiasm. Informed by his experience in Venice and his study of the works of
Marco Ricci
Marco Ricci (6 June 1676 – 21 January 1730) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period.
Early years
He was born at Belluno and received his first instruction in art from his uncle, Sebastiano Ricci, likely in Milan in 1694–6.Giacometti, Mar ...
and particularly
Giovanni Paolo Panini
Giovanni Paolo Panini or Pannini (17 June 1691 – 21 October 1765) was an Italian painter and architect who worked in Rome and is primarily known as one of the ''vedutisti'' ("view painters"). As a painter, Panini is best known for his vistas of ...
, he appreciated not only the engineering of the ancient buildings but also the poetic aspects of the ruins. He was able to faithfully imitate the actual remains; his invention in catching the
design of the original architect provided the missing parts. His masterful skill at engraving introduced groups of vases, altars, tombs that were absent in reality; his manipulations of scale; and his broad and scientific distribution of light and shade completed the picture, creating a striking effect from the whole view.
![Piranesi-17026](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Piranesi-17026.jpg)
A number of the ''Views'' are notable for depicting human figures whose poverty, lameness, apparent drunkenness, and other visible flaws appear to echo the decay of the ruins. This is consistent with a familiar trope of Renaissance literature, in which the ruins of Rome are lamented as a metaphor for the imperfection and transience of human existence.
Some of his later work was completed by his children and several pupils. Piranesi's son and coadjutor,
Francesco
Francesco, the Italian (and original) version of the personal name " Francis", is the most common given name among males in Italy. Notable persons with that name include:
People with the given name Francesco
* Francesco I (disambiguation), sev ...
, collected and preserved his plates, in which the freer lines of the etching-needle largely supplemented the severity of
burin work. Twenty-nine folio volumes containing about 2000 prints appeared in Paris (1835–1837).
The late
Baroque works of
Claude Lorrain,
Salvatore Rosa, and others had featured romantic and fantastic depictions of ruins; in part as a
memento mori or as a reminiscence of a golden age of construction. Piranesi also made copies of a number of etchings by
Israel Silvestre
Israel Silvestre (13 August 1621 in Nancy – 11 October 1691 in Paris), called the Younger to distinguish him from his father, was a prolific French draftsman, etcher and print dealer who specialized in topographical views and perspectives ...
, whose works he apparently admired. Piranesi's reproductions of real and recreated Roman ruins were a strong influence on
Neoclassicism.
One of the main features of Neo-Classicism is the attitude towards nature and the uses of the past. Neo-Classicism was prompted by the discoveries at Herculaneum and Pompeii. Rediscovery and revaluation of Greece, Egypt, and Gothic was also active as well as the various expeditions of unfamiliar Roman empire. The view of a Golden Age was changing from static to mutable, inspired by Rousseau and Winckelmann in response to the dynamic growth of society.
The wider perspective on the past created a new way of expression. Artists developed a greater self-consciousness in confronting the limited authority of the ancient world, and there was a growing interest in civilizations and the destiny of nations. Piranesi was especially interested in the Graeco-Roman debate in the 1760s, between followers of Winckelmann who thought Greek culture and architecture superior to their Roman counterparts, and those who (like Piranesi) believed that the Romans had improved upon their Greek models. His free relationship to the past may be summarized in a phrase of his that become a mantra: "col sporcar si trova"; "by messing about, one discovers".
Throughout his lifetime, Piranesi created numerous prints depicting the Eternal City; these were widely collected by gentlemen on the Grand Tour. The Lobkowicz Collections, housed at the
Lobkowicz Palace
The Lobkowicz Palace ( cs, Lobkowický palác) is a part of the Prague Castle complex in Prague, Czech Republic. It is the only privately owned building in the Prague Castle complex and houses the Lobkowicz Collections and Museum.
The palace wa ...
in
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and List of cities in the Czech Republic, largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 milli ...
, contains a group of twenty-six of his engravings.
The ''Prisons'' (''Carceri'')
The ''Prisons'' (''Carceri d'invenzione'' or 'Imaginary Prisons'), is a series of 16 prints produced in first and second states that show enormous subterranean vaults with stairs and mighty machines. The series was started in 1745. The first state prints were published in 1750 and consisted of 14 etchings, untitled and unnumbered, with a sketch-like look. The original prints were 16" x 21". For the second publishing in 1761, all the etchings were reworked and numbered I–XVI (1–16). Numbers II and V were new etchings to the series. Numbers I to IX were all done in
portrait format (vertical), while X to XVI were
landscape format
Page orientation is the way in which a rectangular page is oriented for normal viewing. The two most common types of orientation are ''portrait'' and ''landscape''. The term "portrait orientation" comes from visual art terminology and describes ...
(horizontal+).
In the second publishing, some of the illustrations appear to have been edited to contain (likely deliberate)
impossible geometries.
Archaeologist
It is important to look at his contribution as an archaeologist, which was acknowledged at the time as he had been elected to the
Society of Antiquaries of London
A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Soci ...
. His influence of technical drawings in antiquarian publications is often overshadowed. He left explanatory notes in the lower margin about the structure and ornament. Most ancient monuments in Rome were abandoned in fields and gardens. Piranesi tried to preserve them with his engravings. To do this, Piranesi pushed himself to achieve realism in his work. A third of the monuments in Piranesi's engravings have disappeared, and the stucco and surfacings were often stolen, or restored and modified clumsily. Piranesi's precise observational skills allow people to experience the atmosphere in Rome in the eighteenth century. Piranesi may have recognised his role of disseminating remarkable information through meaningful images. He became the Director of the Portici Museum in 1751.
Contemporary references
*The
International Piranesi Award for architecture, awarded annually since 1989.
*The Franco-Belgian comic ''
La Tour La Tour may refer to:
Places Canada
* Port La Tour, Nova Scotia
France
* La Tour, Alpes-Maritimes
* La Tour, Haute-Savoie
* La Tour-Blanche, Dordogne
* La Tour-d'Aigues, Vaucluse
* La Tour-d'Auvergne, Puy-de-Dôme
* La Tour-de-Salvagny, Rhà ...
'' features designs based on Piranesi's ''Imaginary Prisons'' and a main character called "Giovanni Battista" after Piranesi.
*The titular character in
Susanna Clarke's
2020 novel, who lives in an unimaginably vast, maze-like house.
*Piranesi is the name of a mutable, inscrutable prison surrounded by statues of impossible geometry, featured in the
Sunless Skies video game.
References
;Attribution
*
Further reading
*
*
*
*
*
*Tafuri, Manfredo. (1976). Architecture and Utopia. Design and Capitalist Development. Cambridge, MA/London: MIT Press. tr. Barbara Luigia La Penta.
*
*
*
*Zarucchi, Jeanne Morgan (2012). "The Literary Tradition of 'Ruins of Rome' and a New Consideration of Piranesi's Staffage Figures," ''Journal for Eighteenth-Century Studies'', 35:3, pp. 359–80.
*
External links
;Opere di Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1835–1839)
Wikiart.org Collected Piranesi works in hi-rez, ''Vedute di Roma'', ''Carceri'', ''Le antichità Romane'' and Collection of drawings engraved after Guercino.
All images from that 29 volumes complete works edition(English interface with Italian and French text; from General Library, University of Tokyo)
;Antichita Romanae
''Antichita Romanae'' (1748)(914 pages in 17 volumes; from BNF)
(Hi-res images from "Vedute di Roma", vol. 17 of "Antichita Romanae"; digitized by Leyden university)
''Ancient Rome'' (1748)(87 hi-res pics, jpg )
;Carceri
(images from the exhibition of the Carceri, low-res)
First state of ''Carceri''(1750; 14 sketches in hi-res; digitized by Leyden university)
''Carceri''(Full hi-res Album, 16 pics)
Animation film as a walkthrough of the Carceri(video 10 min 40 s)
;Other
Perspectives(28 Works Depicting Perspective in Architecture)
Antichita Romane, 4 Architectural Etchings (1756)Kenneth Franzheim II Rare Books Room, William R. Jenkins Architecture and Art Library, University of Houston Digital Library.
Prints & People: A Social History of Printed Pictures an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on Giovanni Battista Piranesi (see index)
Della Magnificenza Ed Architettvra De'Romani / De Romanorvm Magnificentia Et Architectvra(Rome, 1761; digitized by
Heidelberg University
}
Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public university, public research university in Heidelberg, B ...
)
Osservazioni Di Gio. Battista Piranesi sopra la Lettre de M. Mariette aux auteurs de la Gazette Littéraire de l'Europe(Rome, 1765; digitized by Heidelberg university)
Promenades Of An Art Impressionist – Piranesi
{{DEFAULTSORT:Piranesi, Giovanni Battista
1720 births
1778 deaths
18th-century archaeologists
18th-century Italian sculptors
Classical archaeologists
Classicist architecture
Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London
Italian archaeologists
Italian draughtsmen
Italian engravers
Italian etchers
Italian male sculptors
Italian vedutisti
People from Mogliano Veneto
Italian neoclassical painters
18th-century Italian male artists