Giovanni Piranesi - outstanding artist printmaker
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A new view on the world - The visions of Giovanni Piranesi
Giovanni B. Piranesi was one of the most interesting and talented artists in history. His etchings stand alone in the history of art. When Giovanni Piranesi died on September 9. in 1778 his work comprised more than thousand etchings. Piranesi was not only an outstanding artist print maker. His achievements could only grow on his unique combination of talents which developed into ambitious and restless activities as archaeologist,architect,artist and publisher. Til today his etchings of the ancient city of Rome are influencing not only our perception of the antique city, but our notion of roman antiquity in general.
Incredible enough his oldest son managed to rescue the complete etching plates during french revolution. After staying with Firmin-Didot printers in Paris they were returned to Rome in 1839 by order of pope Gregor XVI and now is part of the Collection of Calcografia Nazionale.
Here you find a collection of links to his works,texts about his life and his ongoing influence in the art world.
Piranesi and the GRAND TOUR
The increasing "tourism" after the middle of the 18th century contributed a lot to Piranesi`s success. His print shop was a must for any ROME visitor in those days. Many contemporaries knew the antiquities of Rome and the famous modern buildings before travelling through his works. Goethe was familiar with his works as his father owned and displayed some of his etchings at home for example.
Incredible enough his oldest son managed to rescue the complete etching plates during french revolution. After staying with Firmin-Didot printers in Paris they were returned to Rome in 1839 by order of pope Gregor XVI and now is part of the Collection of Calcografia Nazionale.
Here you find a collection of links to his works,texts about his life and his ongoing influence in the art world.
Piranesi and the GRAND TOUR
The increasing "tourism" after the middle of the 18th century contributed a lot to Piranesi`s success. His print shop was a must for any ROME visitor in those days. Many contemporaries knew the antiquities of Rome and the famous modern buildings before travelling through his works. Goethe was familiar with his works as his father owned and displayed some of his etchings at home for example.
Giovanni Piranesi - his main works
"Labor omnia vincit"- "labor conquers all things"
Prima Parte di Architetture e Prospettive These works are "part one of architecture and perspective" the first works that the young Piranesi published in 1743 and he dedicated this works to Nicola Giobbe. The works are composed of 12 plates without legend and a title page including 4 text pages. Luigi Ficcaci reports in "Piranesi, The etchings" interesting details about the diverse editions of this series.
Opere varie di Architettura Prospettive Grotteschi Antichita sul Gusto degli antichi Romani
This collection assembled all works by Piranesi done up to that date. It was published by Bouchard for the first time in 1750. The first edition contained the "Prima Parte" in the supplemented and revised edition, the "Grotteschi" as well as 2 single pages. Also the portrait by Felize Polzani was included in this edition.
Piranesi was a tireless explorer of the roman antique heritage. The first volume of in total four volumes of the "Antichita Romane" was published in 1756. This work is considered a key to Piranesi`s ideal archeological work.
Invenzioni Capric(ciose) di Carceri
In 1761 the most famous and well known series of 16 etchings was published : "Invenzioni Capric(ciose) di Carceri. This work has been considered the main work and was analysed and interpreted very often. However final and clear conclusions could not be drawn on these mysterious inventions of prison buildings. Among others also the famous Thomas de Quincey responded in his book "confessions of an opium eater" to this work.
The most famous and popular series of etching comprises more than 150 etchings with spectacular views on the ancient ruins and contemporary architecture of Rome. The idea behind this series was to offer big prints which should be able to compete with the very popular paintings of Rome at that time. Rather than a closed collection the "Vedute di Roma" developed more like an open series until Piranesi`s death. After 1778 his son Francesco added two pages and published the series in 2 bounded volumes .
The price of only 2,5 Paoli for most of the etchings was very moderate and in view of the size very competitive. The Vedute die Roma became an important source of income for Piranesi, these works were collected all over Europe. Not always Piranesi`s view was appreciated in full. Especially his tendency to show many details not only of the architecture,but also of the street life provoked controversy. A contemporary Lady Ann Miller criticised around 1770/71 : "He is so ridiculously exact in trifles...Many silly particulars of his nature have confused his designs; yet they are esteemed the best here; and we have made ample collection of the most valuable of them" (Quoted after C.Höper, G.P. Piranesi, Die poetische Wahrheit, exhibition catalog 1999,Stuttgart).
Giovanni Piranesi - the art of the capriccio and the art of the "veduta"
The terms "Capriccio" and "Veduta" are strongly connected with Piranesi`s work.
Piranesi`s "Vedute di Roma" have to be seen in a long tradition. Already at the end of the 15th century the first printed "city guides of Rome" were published for pilgrims. The art of the depiction of urban landscpae is strongly connected with the city of Rome and the demand for visual souvenirs by visitors.
The term Veduta describes a form of landscape depiction in print with close to reality imitation of the scenery,whereas the "capriccio" contains the elements of invention. The latter was a genre that had been cultivated mostly in Venice.
In general three types of Capricci are distinguished:
1. Completely invented architecture in artificial landscape
2. A free combination of real architecture assembled to utopian urban landscapes
3. Depiction of real urban landscape which adjustments and modifications of architecture and spatial arrangements. This type of composition is considered the "Veduta ideata" a kind of idealised reality.
Piranesi`s etchings of the "Vedute di Roma" can be classified for the most part as "Vedute ideatae". No doubt that Piranesi was influenced by the most famous painting Vedutista Canaletto.
Links to more information on the topic of veduta
"Veduta" on WIKI
Veduta on Encyclopedia britannica"
Piranesi`s "Vedute di Roma" have to be seen in a long tradition. Already at the end of the 15th century the first printed "city guides of Rome" were published for pilgrims. The art of the depiction of urban landscpae is strongly connected with the city of Rome and the demand for visual souvenirs by visitors.
The term Veduta describes a form of landscape depiction in print with close to reality imitation of the scenery,whereas the "capriccio" contains the elements of invention. The latter was a genre that had been cultivated mostly in Venice.
In general three types of Capricci are distinguished:
1. Completely invented architecture in artificial landscape
2. A free combination of real architecture assembled to utopian urban landscapes
3. Depiction of real urban landscape which adjustments and modifications of architecture and spatial arrangements. This type of composition is considered the "Veduta ideata" a kind of idealised reality.
Piranesi`s etchings of the "Vedute di Roma" can be classified for the most part as "Vedute ideatae". No doubt that Piranesi was influenced by the most famous painting Vedutista Canaletto.
Links to more information on the topic of veduta
"Veduta" on WIKI
Veduta on Encyclopedia britannica"
Piranesi decorative Posters on AMAZON
Piranesi works - a digital archives of his work
Browse through the complete works of Piranesi
I am very sorry, but it seems that this valuable online resource is not available any longer. I hope that it will be acessible in the future again.
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The Kamei Collection is a No.1 resource for images of Piranesis work. The database contains digital images of Giovanni Battista Piranesi's original etchings from Opere di Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Francesco Piranesi e d'altri (published by Firmin Didot Freres, Paris, 1835-1839), which are preserved in the University of Tokyo Library's Kamei Collection.
These digital images have been processed from negatives of the Opere, produced specifically for research objectives. All 1,440 works of the 29 volumes can be browsed and searched on this website.
The works can be viewed closely with a "magnifying glass". For most of the works there are detailed information and photographs of the contemporary situtation.
Sometimes the site has difficulties to load, don´t give up try later again it is worth it!
Please read also about the interesting historic background of the collection (Firmin-Didot edition of 1835-1839)
There is a second very interesting archive of the Antichita Romane in France at the National Library
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The Kamei Collection is a No.1 resource for images of Piranesis work. The database contains digital images of Giovanni Battista Piranesi's original etchings from Opere di Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Francesco Piranesi e d'altri (published by Firmin Didot Freres, Paris, 1835-1839), which are preserved in the University of Tokyo Library's Kamei Collection.
These digital images have been processed from negatives of the Opere, produced specifically for research objectives. All 1,440 works of the 29 volumes can be browsed and searched on this website.
The works can be viewed closely with a "magnifying glass". For most of the works there are detailed information and photographs of the contemporary situtation.
Sometimes the site has difficulties to load, don´t give up try later again it is worth it!
Please read also about the interesting historic background of the collection (Firmin-Didot edition of 1835-1839)
There is a second very interesting archive of the Antichita Romane in France at the National Library
Giovanni Piranesi as designer - an ongoing influence
Apart from his architecture studies Piranesi has done numerous works for interior design.
An interesting article on Piranesi is published on "Design Fete" introducing a great exhibition about Piranesis influence as designer Copper Hewitt,National Design Museum
An article in the New York Times by By NICOLAI OUROUSSOFF sketches Piranesi`s remarkable character and gives an idea of the deep influence he has on contemporary architecture.
An interesting article on Piranesi is published on "Design Fete" introducing a great exhibition about Piranesis influence as designer Copper Hewitt,National Design Museum
An article in the New York Times by By NICOLAI OUROUSSOFF sketches Piranesi`s remarkable character and gives an idea of the deep influence he has on contemporary architecture.
The charme of ruins - Piranesi´s influence in today`s photography
There is was an interesting blog entry on the BLDBLOG on Bannerman`s Island which illustrates the fact that the attraction of the picturesque ruin is still prevalent today.As commenter I pointed out:
"Why are we attracted by ruins? Is it possible to discuss this post in connection with your post I can bear to see no more ruins" If not why ? After WW2 an american travel agency recommended to visit Europe as soon as possible as the ruins there would be only for a limited time to see."
There are a number of websites and blogs which specialise in urban decay photographing forbidden terrain etc. The interest that these images gain is only partly motivated by the forbidden activity, a major interest is evoked by the ruined appeal of these buildings.
However it´s is one of the most popular misunderstandings that Piranesi was attracted by the picturesque qualities of the Roman antiquities. See also Lola Kantor-Kazovsky.
An excellent read on the aesthetics of ruins in connection with Piranesi is: Piranesi between classical and sublime, by FATMA IPEK EK and DENIZ SENGEL
Giovanni Piranesi as business man and entrepreneur
This aspect of Piranesi`s achievements seems still not fully explored by art history. The exhibition catalog "Piranesi as designer" (see Piranesi on Amazon) contains very interesting information about Piranesi as business man.
It´s difficult to imagine how Piranesi could, beside from his immmense graphic work (more than 900 etching plates), his archaeoligic and historic investigations run a flourishing print/editioning company together with trade and restauration of antiques. It seems that this man worked more than 24 hours a day.
1747
End of 1747 Piranesi returns from Venice to Rome
as agent and trader of the etcher Joseph Wagner and opens his own studion at Via del Corso.
1750 Publishing of the Carceri series with printer Giovanni Bouchard
1751 The first 34 etchings from the later 135 Vedute di Roma are published by Giovanni Bouchard
1756-1761 further publishings of in total 69 etchings of Vedute di Roma together with other prints by Bouchard & Gravier
1761
He marries and moves into the Villa Tomati at Via Sistina. Piranesi establishes his own publishing company supported by the Pope Clemens XIII.
Piransi also had a print shop on Strada Felice which was a favorite shopping place for tourists.
Compared to paintings Piranesi`s work was available to a broader audience and at a much cheaper price. They could be purchased in collections or as single copies.
It is reported that from some of the plates as many as 4000 copies were pulled. Piranesi met the demand of the increasing tourism that developed very strong after 1763 due to the end of Seven Year`s War. About 40 000 travelers from Great Britain passed the channel per year. Not only the high society,but also for well situated people the Grand Tour became a must.
Piranesi`s second business was the reconstruction and sale of antiques.
"This man is exceedingly clever as an Antiquarian..;it is immense the sum of money he has got by the Statue, Vases, Tripodes etc. that he has found by searching among the Ruins of the Villa Adriana" (James Grinston 1771 quoted from "Piranesi as designer" exhibition catalog,Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum September 2007).
Certainly it is wrong to see Piranesi selling out the Roman heritage that he was so passionate about. Also the papal laws restricted such activity and Piranesi was too close to the Pope anyway.
It seems that Piranesi used only pieces of minor importance and assembled them or completed works with own inventions. His collaborators were able to manufacture very convincing imitations of antique vases and mantelpieces etc.
It´s difficult to imagine how Piranesi could, beside from his immmense graphic work (more than 900 etching plates), his archaeoligic and historic investigations run a flourishing print/editioning company together with trade and restauration of antiques. It seems that this man worked more than 24 hours a day.
1747
End of 1747 Piranesi returns from Venice to Rome
as agent and trader of the etcher Joseph Wagner and opens his own studion at Via del Corso.
1750 Publishing of the Carceri series with printer Giovanni Bouchard
1751 The first 34 etchings from the later 135 Vedute di Roma are published by Giovanni Bouchard
1756-1761 further publishings of in total 69 etchings of Vedute di Roma together with other prints by Bouchard & Gravier
1761
He marries and moves into the Villa Tomati at Via Sistina. Piranesi establishes his own publishing company supported by the Pope Clemens XIII.
Piransi also had a print shop on Strada Felice which was a favorite shopping place for tourists.
Compared to paintings Piranesi`s work was available to a broader audience and at a much cheaper price. They could be purchased in collections or as single copies.
It is reported that from some of the plates as many as 4000 copies were pulled. Piranesi met the demand of the increasing tourism that developed very strong after 1763 due to the end of Seven Year`s War. About 40 000 travelers from Great Britain passed the channel per year. Not only the high society,but also for well situated people the Grand Tour became a must.
Piranesi`s second business was the reconstruction and sale of antiques.
"This man is exceedingly clever as an Antiquarian..;it is immense the sum of money he has got by the Statue, Vases, Tripodes etc. that he has found by searching among the Ruins of the Villa Adriana" (James Grinston 1771 quoted from "Piranesi as designer" exhibition catalog,Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum September 2007).
Certainly it is wrong to see Piranesi selling out the Roman heritage that he was so passionate about. Also the papal laws restricted such activity and Piranesi was too close to the Pope anyway.
It seems that Piranesi used only pieces of minor importance and assembled them or completed works with own inventions. His collaborators were able to manufacture very convincing imitations of antique vases and mantelpieces etc.
About Giovanni B. Piranesi - resources on the net
- Metropolitan Museum of art
- Thompson, Wendy. "Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778)". In Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000-.
A very good introduction with links to further reading and explanations to works in the collection of the museum. - Piranesi as designer Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum
- A great website of an exhibition featuring Piranesi as designer with unbroken influence
- Piranesi on High Beam Encyclopedia
- High Beam encyclopedia offers a list of publications on Piranesi in magazines and newspapers (Washington Post,Independent etc.)and other sources. Unfortunately not for free !
- 77 etchings - an exhibition catalog with essay
- This is a 30 page exhibition catalog with an essay on Piranesi. The exhibition was held at the Auckland Art Gallery in 1963. A quite interesting document with an interesting biography.
- Aldous Huxley on Piranesi`s Prisons
- Artist and designer John Coulthart features an essay by famous author Aldous Huxley.
- The Piranesi effect
- A short essay found on www.theliterarylink.com about Thomas de Quincey`s remarks on Piranesi´s Prisons in connection with romantic literature.
The antique city of Rome - Resources on the net
A virtual visit to the antique Rome
- Digital Forum Romanum, University of California
- A project of the university of California,Los Angeles. Description fomr the website:"From 1997 to 2003 the UCLA Cultural Virtual Reality Laboratory (CVR Lab) created a digital model of the Roman Forum as it appeared in late antiquity. The notional date of the model is June 21, 400 A.D. From 2002 to 2005, with generous support from the National Science Foundation, the CVRLab was able to create this Web site about the digital Forum model. The purposes of this site are to use the Internet to permit free use and easy viewing of the digital model by people all over the world; to provide documentation for the archaeological evidence and theories utilized to create the model; and to offer basic information about the individual features comprising the digital model so that their history and cultural context can be readily understood."
- Interactive Nolli map,University of Oregon
- Another fantastic source of information about the antique city of Rome. Piranesi used the Nolli map for his archeaological studies.
"The Nolli Web Site presents the 1748 Nolli map of Rome as a dynamic, interactive, hands-on tool. The public now has access to cataloged information about the map in both written and graphical form. The map not only provides rich information, but it has the ability to be updated with new data over time to embrace expanding knowledge.
The interactive Nolli Map Web Site intends to:
1) resurrect the integrity of the original Nolli map,
2) greatly enhance the quality and flexibility of its visual display
3) grant easy access for scholars and students alike to a vast body of information."
You can buy also a huge reproduction print of the Nolli map which they offer in connection with Raven prints - Imago Urbis: Giuseppe Vasi's Grand Tour of Rome
- A great site by the university of Orgegon exploring the ancient city of Rome through the eyes of Piranesi`s teacher Guiseppe Vasi !
Vasi's Grand Tour of Rome provides a basic database and framework for architectural and art historical research that focuses on Giuseppe Vasi and his contemporary, Giambattista Nolli, and their place in the cultural milieu of 18th century Rome. Our primary goal is to re-create the 18th century - ROME in the footsteps of an XVIIIth century traveller
- This is the incredible website of Roberto Piperno. He shows the antique views of Rome depicted by Piranesi`s teacher Guiseppe Vasi and compares them with todays photographs of same places.
Monotype prints after Piranesi by Edition Handdruck
In the year 2007 I started a series of monotype prints after works (Vedute di Roma) of the famous etcher G.B.Piranesi.
The Vedute di Roma were the largest and most popular series of etchings that showed famous ancient monuments of the city of Rome. In total there are 135 prints in this series. I suppose it will take another 3 years until I have my own collection of 135 paraphrases of the Vedute di Roma.
The reproduction prints on Zazzle can be customized i.e. the size can be changed and you can add borders which are suitable for your framing idea. If there is a special request for a certain other color of the framing border on the prints, please do not hesitate to contact me. The prints look best with a "real" passepartout in a slight off white (buff) color.
Art print Temple of Concordia by editionha
sell artwork online with Zazzle.
The Vedute di Roma were the largest and most popular series of etchings that showed famous ancient monuments of the city of Rome. In total there are 135 prints in this series. I suppose it will take another 3 years until I have my own collection of 135 paraphrases of the Vedute di Roma.
The reproduction prints on Zazzle can be customized i.e. the size can be changed and you can add borders which are suitable for your framing idea. If there is a special request for a certain other color of the framing border on the prints, please do not hesitate to contact me. The prints look best with a "real" passepartout in a slight off white (buff) color.
Art print Temple of Concordia by editionha
sell artwork online with Zazzle.
Books by John Wilton-Ely on Piranesi and his works
Blog Posts on Giovanni Piranesi
- Frozen time
- This concern for accuracy is combined with a proto-romantic sense of the sublime in Giovanni Battista Piranesi's dramatic views of the various monuments of ancient Rome, in which small contemporary figures seem to flail around like puppets beneath the ...
- To 9/23: Phoenix Art Museum exhibit spotlights 'Paper!'
- Other artists represented include Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Rembrandt and Giovanni Battista Piranesi. "This is one of those things that will make you look at the art world differently," Ballinger says. "It's certainly unlike anything we've done before ...
- Kunst: Ornamente im Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg
- Werke von Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778) oder Raffael (1483-1520) scheinen zunächst etwas fremd in einem Museum für Moderne Kunst. Doch der Direktor des Wolfsburger Kunstmuseums, Markus Brüderlin, geht gern auf ...
- Artipelag – ett polerat palats i skärgården
- Med den storvulna och högtidligt allvarsamma titeln Platsens själ har curatorerna Bo Nilsson och Görel Cavalli-Björkman laddat med konsthistoriskt intressanta och bekanta verk från Giovanni Battista Piranesi till Prins Eugen samt tematiserat idén om ...
A folio book with work of G.B. Piranesi and his son Francesco shwon on YOUtube
curated content from YouTube
The Piranesi Poll
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Giovanni Battista Piranesi books on Amazon
Books related to Piranesi
Where to buy antique Piranesi prints
Sellers of antique prints
- Lyons Limited
- Antique prints of Piranesi work, some very interesting pieces of the big size prints series.
- The antiquarium- Texas
- Interesting selection of Piranesi work, pieces from the vedute di Roma.
- Henry Sotheran Limited
- Shows a selection of 10-20 prints by Piranesi from the Vedute di Roma
- Michael Finney Web Site (English)
- Michael Finney Fine Art Print Gallery in Central London near the British Museum holds a large stock a fine art prints specializing in Giovanni Battista Piranesi%uFFFDs Ruins and Antiquities of Rome, David Roberts Lithographs of Middle East, Architecture, Botanical and Natural History, Caricatures, Decora
Online sellers of Piranesi reproduction prints
It is worth while to browse through the the sites below. There are very decorative Piranesi motifs available. Apart from the famous architecture etchings Piranesi has done numerous decorative designs for vases etc. Also his archeological studies and section drawings are very interesting to see.
- Art.com
- Selection of reproductions on art.com
- Imagekind.com
- Piranesi Reproductions on IMAGEKIND.COM
- prints.com
- Piranesi Reproductions on prints.com
- respree.com
- Piranesi reproductions on respree.com
- globalgallery.com
- Piranesi reproductions on globalgallery.com
- Bridgeman Art Library
- Bridgeman offers a selection of reproduction prints among others also some interesting drawings by Piranesi.
- Order form of the National Library France
- This is a link to the order form of the national library France. Obviously it is possible to order reproduction prints in various techniques and made up of their collection of the Antichita Romane !
I have no idea what the quality and the prices are. - fine arts international - Giovanni Battista Piranesi
- fine arts international presents a selection of prints by Piranesi, Giovanni Battista
