Artwork
Foro di Augusto
Foro di Augusto is a print by the Baroque artist Giovanni Battista Piranesi. It dates from 1748 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1921.1158
- Credit line
- Gift of Willard M. Clapp
About this work
Overview
Foro di Augusto is a print by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, created around 1748. It is a black-and-white depiction of a ruined courtyard, held at The Cleveland Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows a grand, ruined courtyard with tall columns and crumbling walls, an archway framing a distant city on a hill. The scene conveys a sense of age and decay, with trees and bushes growing among the broken stone.
Technique & Style
Piranesi used shading to create dramatic and mysterious effects, with uneven light casting deep shadows and stark contrasts. This chiaroscuro technique gives the columns and walls a sense of depth and age, emphasizing the ruin's textures and atmosphere.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Battista (or Giambattista) Piranesi (Italian pronunciation:; also known as simply Piranesi; 4 October 1720 – 9 November 1778) was an Italian classical archaeologist, architect, and artist, famous for his…
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