The artwork titled “The Roman Antiquities, t. 1, Plate XXXVIII,” was created by Giovanni Battista Piranesi in 1756 in Italy. Executed in the medium of etching, it belongs to the Neoclassicism art movement and is classified as a cityscape. This piece is a part of the series “Le antichità Romane.”
The artwork is an etching that meticulously portrays a detailed map of ancient Rome, highlighting various regions and significant landmarks. The topography of the city is illustrated with precision, showing the contours of hills and the layout of roads and structures. In the upper sections, prominent areas such as “Monte Vaticano,” “Monte Viminale,” and “Monte Esquilino” are marked. Detailed inserts on the sides provide additional architectural details and descriptions. The use of fine lines and careful shading effectively conveys the complexity and grandeur of Rome’s ancient urban landscape, reflecting Piranesi’s deep interest in classical antiquity and his mastery of the etching technique.
