1748
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Frontispiece, with Statue of Minerva is a 1748 ink by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This print shows a busy, dreamlike garden with crumbling stone steps, statues, and fountains. A woman in flowing robes sits on a broken pedestal, holding a scroll. Above her, a winged figure perches on a column, while other statues and ruins fill the background. Trees and vines twist around the scene, and a small boat rests near the bottom right. The artist packed in tiny details—like the tiny figures climbing the ruins and the odd mix of classical and wild nature. This is a *frontispiece*, meaning it was probably the first image in a book, setting the tone for strange, grand ideas. Next, check out etching to see how artists like Piranesi made prints with sharp lines and deep shadows.
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…
See the richer artist page
