Giovanni Battista Piranesi
1779
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1779
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Giovanni Battista Piranesi is a 1779 ink by Francesco Piranesi, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This print shows a stone relief of a man’s head in a circle. Above it, Latin words say *"Venetus Architectus"*—meaning "Venetian architect." Below, more Latin notes his age and death date. The bottom half packs in tiny details: a rolled-up plan, a broken column, and a skull. The whole thing looks like a tombstone for a builder. The lines are sharp and busy, packed with symbols. Next, check out etching to see how artists like Piranesi carved these fine lines into metal.
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