1754
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Triumphal Arch is a 1754 ink by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketchy, black-and-white scene shows a wild mix of ruins and strange machines. Broken columns, tangled vines, and half-buried statues fill the foreground. In the background, a giant arch looms over a chaotic pile of gears, ramps, and what look like ancient tools—like something out of a fantasy world. The artist packed in so much detail that it feels both crowded and dreamlike. Notice how the lines never quite settle—everything seems to be shifting or collapsing. Next, check out etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how Piranesi made these bold, layered lines.
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 pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
