Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Italian, 1720–1778
From the series, Carceri di Invenzione (1st edition), Plate 15
This impression is from Plate XV of Piranesi's "Carceri..." series depicting fantastic architectural designs. As Andrew Robinson has observed: "The Pier with the Lamp" is one of the grandest of the early "Carceri..." as well as the most fascinating example of Piranesi's extraordinary use of etching technique.... By greatly enlarging the springing arches and making them the dominant motif in the design, Piranesi created a simple but stately progression of grand curves, offset at various angles. Having set the basic forms, the artist then elaborated and refined the shading in multiple layers as in a painting."
See Andrew Robison, :Piranesi: Early Architectural Fantasies," exh. cat. (Washington, DC: National Gallery of Art, 1986), 43.
Italian, 1720–1778
The Pier with a Lamp
about 1749From the series, Carceri di Invenzione (1st edition), Plate 15
Object Type:
Print
Dimensions:
16 3/8 in. x 21 3/4 in. (41.59 cm x 55.25 cm)
Medium and Support:
Etching and engraving on paper
Accession Number:
1991.0002
Credit Line:
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Weil, Jr., in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Weil, Sr., and Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts Association Purchase
This impression is from Plate XV of Piranesi's "Carceri..." series depicting fantastic architectural designs. As Andrew Robinson has observed: "The Pier with the Lamp" is one of the grandest of the early "Carceri..." as well as the most fascinating example of Piranesi's extraordinary use of etching technique.... By greatly enlarging the springing arches and making them the dominant motif in the design, Piranesi created a simple but stately progression of grand curves, offset at various angles. Having set the basic forms, the artist then elaborated and refined the shading in multiple layers as in a painting."
See Andrew Robison, :Piranesi: Early Architectural Fantasies," exh. cat. (Washington, DC: National Gallery of Art, 1986), 43.
Keywords
Click a term to view the records with the same keyword
Related Objects
Click a record to view
The Pier with a Lamp
1974.0018
Title Plate
1974.0019
The Gothic Arch
1974.0020
An Arched Chamber with Low Arches
1991.0003.0002
Portfolio List
Click a portfolio name to view all the objects in that portfolio
This object is a member of the following portfolios:
Your current search criteria is: All Object records and [Object]Display Artist is "Giovanni Battista Piranesi".