Lot 277D
Giovanni Battista Piranesi (Italian, Mogliano Veneto 17201778 Rome). "Veduta dell Atrio del Portico di Ottavia" - View of Atrium of the Portico of Octavia. From Vedute di Roma (Views of Rome). "Piranesi Architetto fec." on lower right. Published in Rome, 1760-1778. Created during Piranesi's lifetime. A passionate admirer of Classical architecture, Piranesi actually considered himself an architect. Indeed his drawings and etchings demonstrate his dramatic penchant for manipulating perspective and architectural elements - resulting in creative imaginings of ancient buildings, prisons, and ruins. Such fantastical compositions made sense coming from the man who once declared, "I need to produce great ideas, and I believe that if I were commissioned to design a new universe, I would be mad enough to undertake it." Size: 18.75" L x 26.75" W (47.6 cm x 67.9 cm)
Born in Venice on the 4th October 1720, the son of a stonemason and master builder, Piranesi would become a pioneer of the Neoclassical movement in the late 18th century as a master printmaker and antiquarian. Piranesi trained as an architect under his uncle Matto Lucchesi and Carlo Zucchi, and in 1740, left Venice for Rome where he studied etching with Giuseppe Vasi. While he had limited success winning architectural commissions, his training and passion for classical architecture served him well. Engravings and etchings provided Piranesi with a healthy livelihood, allowing him to turn one of his favorite pastimes, drawing Roman architecture, into a lucrative source of income. By 1747, Piranesi had begun the work for which he is best known, the Vedute di Roma (Views of Rome) and created plates for the series until his death in 1778. He created thousands of works that recorded the Roman monuments as well as those of the Renaissance which were impressive for not only their documentary value but also their immense artistry.
See a comparable example at Yale University Art Gallery - https://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/57550
Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010
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#139778
- Condition: Strong plate mark. Centerfold. Slight stains in margins and minute tears to the edges. Normal foxing more visible on verso and in margins as shown.
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