Giovanni Piranesi (1720-1778) Italian, Etching.

Copper etching on paper from a publication "Fantasy of Ruins with Statue of Minerva." Piranesi had a habit of combining realistic depictions with fantastical elements, as seen here where the ruins are surrounded by robed figures who traverse the ancient ruins as ghosts amongst the clouds. Attribution in Latin bottom right in plate. Title in Latin bottom left in plate. Circa 1750. 

Condition: Significant tearing to the top of the image, mat burn, and some discoloration. Overall fair. 

Size: 26 1/2 x 31 x 1/2 in. 

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778) was a Venetian artist, architect, and antiquarian whose interest in ancient Rome was influenced by his early study of Latin and architecture. In Rome, he studied etching and engraving, which swiftly became his life's calling, and he became known for his spectacular prints of the city's monuments. Piranesi's imaginative use of Classical elements in his only architectural commission, the restoration of the church of Santa Maria del Priorato, was highly influential. His work in printmaking and his focus on archaeology cemented his legacy as one of the fundamental originators of the Neoclassicism movement.

Significant tearing to the top of the image, mat burn, and some discoloration. Overall fair. 

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