Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778)

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778) was an Italian Artist, known as one of the greatest printmakers of the 18th century. In 1740, he became an apprentice to Giuseppe Vasi,an Italian etcher and Architect who introduced Piranesi to etching and engraving. After this, Piranesi worked with some pupils from the French academy in Rome.  It was during this time that his first work, Prima parte Di Architettura e prospettitive (1743) was created. Between 1743-1747, Piranesi opened a workshop in Via del Corso. It was at this time,  it was thought he often visited Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, a leading Artist in Venice. Over the next 30 years,  Piranesi continued to work on a variety of different projects including restoring the ancient sculpture,  the Piranesi Vase. In 1778, after suffering from an illness, Piranesi died.
Piranesi's work was recognised for the imagination and fantasy which he was able to make visible in his etchings. He would improve the buildings by adding lighting effects and tone. His use of light and dark tone,  made his etchings realistic and interesting. Piranesi has also paid close attention to shapes and angles when looking at composition. "The prisons" is a series of 16 prints,  containing stairs,  walls and machinery.  His idea was to provide an imaginative view of a prison interior.  Some of these etchings also inspired romanticism and surrealism.

The Arch of Trajan at Benevito

The Pyramid of Cestius

Carceri plate VI - The Smoking Fire

Carceri plate VII - The Drawbridge 

Carceri Plate XIV- The Gothic Arch 

Carceri Plate IX - The Giant Wheel 

Above are a selection of my favourite etchings. I find the detail within each etching absolutely incredible.  The variation of tone and line work make the images beautiful to look at, I feel I could spend hours with them.