← Giovanni Battista Piranesi

View of the Palazzo della Consulta on the Quirinal housing the Papal Secreteriat, from Vedute di Roma (Roman Views)

Original title: View of the Palazzo della Consulta on the Quirinal housing the Papal Secreteriat, from Vedute di Roma (Roman Views)

Artist

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Date

ca. 1760–78

Medium

Etching; first state of six (Hind)

Dimensions

Sheet: 19 1/8 x 27 9/16 in. (48.5 x 70 cm) Plate: 16 x 24 7/16 in. (40.6 x 62 cm)

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1955

kurzbeschreibung

Giovanni Battista Piranesi made this etching between about 1760 and 1778. It shows the Palazzo della Consulta on the Quirinal in Rome and comes from his well-known series 'Vedute di Roma'. This is the first of six states. The print is considered a typical example of Piranesi's art of vedute.

Description

Your eye is first drawn to the powerful palace, whose facade is articulated with columns, balustrades and an elaborate relief in the upper section. A street runs in front, where small figures approach the building. To the left appears another architecturally detailed structure. A cloudy sky and soft, diffuse light bring out the palace's structure. The graded grey tones of the etching emphasize the clear, ordered articulation, with the palace as the focal point.

Context

The series 'Vedute di Roma' was created between 1748 and 1778 and gathers views of Roman buildings and squares. The Palazzo della Consulta, built in the 18th century, was the seat of the papal secretariat. The etching falls in a period when Rome was a centre of the Grand Tour and vedute were in high demand among collectors. Piranesi was known for his precise architectural renderings, which often appear idealized.

Impact

The palace looks monumental yet elegant; the tiny figures in front make its size plainly evident. The diffuse light and clear linework create a calm, dignified mood. The course of the street and the architecture at the side guide the viewer toward the centre.

Technique

For this etching, the drawing was scratched into a wax layer on a copper plate and then etched—an intaglio process. The print was made on paper measuring 48.5 x 70 cm, while the plate itself measures 40.6 x 62 cm. This method allows for fine lines and a high degree of detail.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)