Giovanni Piranesi was an Italian Painter born on 4 October 1720 in Venice, Italy. Piranesi received his first art education as an apprentice under his uncle, Matteo Lucchesi, who was an architect. Afterward, Giovanni traveled to Rome and worked as Marco Foscarini’s draftsman. During this period, he studied under Giuseppe Vasi, who taught him the rudiments of etching and engraving.
Piranesi settled permanently in Rome in the mid-1740s, opening a workshop and then a printing house. Giovanni’s reputation grew due to his mastery of the medium and the accuracy of his depictions. In 1764, Cardinal Rezzonico commissioned Piranesi to restore the Santa Maria del Priorato church on Aventine Hill – his only architectural work. A decade before he died on 9 November 1778 in Rome, Piranesi became a Knight of the Golden Spur.
What was Giovanni Piranesi Known For?
Giovanni Piranesi was known for painting Roman monuments, antiquities, and architecture from the Classical and Postclassical eras. Piranesi’s prior knowledge and involvement in architectural design helped him make distinct etchings that showcased accurate details and excellent draughtsmanship. Piranesi combined contrasts of shadow and light with rich textures and imaginative creativity to create masterpieces.
Who was Giovanni Piranesi Influenced By?
Giuseppe Vasi and Matteo Lucchesi influenced Piranesi’s style and subject matter. Giovanni apprenticed under Lucchesi and Vasi, an architect and artist, respectively. Under Lucchesi, Giovanni learned firsthand about architecture, while Vasi introduced him to the etchings of Rome, its monuments, and its environs.
What Art Movement was Giovanni Piranesi Associated With?
Giovanni Piranesi was associated with the Neoclassical art movement. Piranesi was pivotal to the development of the Neoclassical movement through his depictions of Roman buildings and monuments.
Giovanni Piranesi Artwork
Giovanni Piranesi created over two thousand works in his career. Below are some of them
Forum of Augustus
Temple of Pola in Istria
Amphitheater of Verona
S. Giovanni in Laterano. Interior
The Arch of Titus
The Drawbridge
The Giant Wheel
The Man on the Rack
The Pantheon Exterior
The Smaller Harbor, called the Porto di Ripetta
Title-page for the ‘Views of Rome’ comprising a stone in the background inscribed with the title, a classical vase and fragments of columns in the foreground
View of the Flavian Amphitheatre
View of the Piazza del Popolo
View of the Temple of Jupiter the Thunderer
View through the Herculaneum Gate, Pompeii
All Giovanni Piranesi Artwork on Artchive
Artwork Name | Year | Medium |
---|---|---|
The Drawbridge | 1761 | etching |
The Round Tower | 1761 | etching |
The Well | 1761 | etching |
Title Plate | 1761 | etching |