Interior view of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, from "Vedute di Roma" (Roman Views) (ca. 1748, Met-Objekt 3971)
Original title: Interior view of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, from "Vedute di Roma" (Roman Views)
kurzbeschreibung
Giovanni Battista Piranesi made this etching around 1748 as part of his 'Vedute di Roma'. It presents the interior of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican and survives in the first of four states (according to Hind). The sheet measures roughly 49.5 x 64 cm and draws attention to the basilica's monumental architecture, with its columns, arcades and groin vaulting.
Description
Scattered across the floor and along the walls, small figures give a sense of the building's immense scale. A central axis running through the middle of the church organizes the strictly symmetrical layout. Large columns and arcades frame the view toward the sumptuous groin vault that dominates the ceiling. Light enters through windows at the sides and picks out the structure of the various parts. The whole view remains monochrome, in black and white.
Context
From the 1740s onward, Piranesi's series 'Vedute di Roma' appeared in Rome, offering views of the city's buildings. At a time when Rome was a center of Grand Tour tourism, vedute were much in demand among collectors. Piranesi was regarded as a master of precise architectural rendering, often emphasizing the monumentality of his subjects. The series did much to spread the image of Rome in the eighteenth century.
Impact
The viewer is met with an overwhelming experience of space, drawn into the basilica's breadth and height. The tiny figures set up a contrast that powerfully underlines the grandeur of the architecture. The clear draftsmanship gives the sheet a calm, solemn mood.
Technique
For this etching, the drawing was incised into a copper plate and bitten with acid. Printing took place on paper from a plate measuring about 40.8 x 60 cm. The process allows for fine lines and an exact rendering of architectural detail, as is typical of Piranesi.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)