Visions of the Eternal City: Piranesi’s Views of Rome

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778) was not only a master printmaker, but also a visionary architect and archaeologist avant-la-lettre who set about recording and interpreting both the Roman ruins and Renaissance architecture of his home city, in a remarkable series of large etched views of Rome known as the Vedute di Roma. Work on the series commenced in 1747 and continued right up until his death in 1778. Piranesi’s works quickly became highly prized amongst British Grand Tourists, so much so that the artist established a showroom in his workshop for visiting British aristocrats and wealthy gentleman travellers intent on completing their education with a spell in Italy. In 1757 Piranesi was elected an honorary fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in London in recognition of his work.

Piranesi’s sons Francesco and Pietro were both heavily involved in the family business, so when Rome fell to Neapolitan forces in 1798-99, the Piranesi family left Italy for Paris (under official protection) with nearly all the original copper plates from Piranesi’s studio in their possession. The ‘Frères Piranesi’ set up a press in Paris and produced a 25-volume set of prints that came to be known as the First Paris Edition, between 1800 and 1807. When Francesco Piranesi died in 1810, heavily in debt, the plates were impounded by the French government, and further Paris editions were issued until 1835, when the firm of Firmin-Didot acquired the plates. They continued to issue impressions until 1839 when the plates were bought by the Camera Apostolica in Rome. 

Our March 12th 2025 Fine Art auction includes a large collection of fine, richly inked impressions printed on heavy laid paper, from the prized Roman editions of these works issued during the artist’s lifetime or shortly thereafter, and include, amongst others, the Campidoglio, the Sepulchre of Cecilia Metella, the Palazzo dell’ Accademia, the Arch of Septimus Severus, the Monte Quirinale, the Interior of the Tempio della Tosse and Basilica of St. John Lateran.

For further enquiries, or to consign to this sale, please contact Nathan Winter or Edmund Saddington

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