Plate 3: Inscriptions on Antiquities outside Rome with Index of Plates, from "Antichità Romane de' Tempi della Repubblica, e de' primi Imperatori"
Original title: Plate 3: Inscriptions on Antiquities outside Rome with Index of Plates, from "Antichità Romane de' Tempi della Repubblica, e de' primi Imperatori"
kurzbeschreibung
Latin inscriptions from monuments outside Rome are gathered in this etching by Giovanni Battista Piranesi from around 1748. It belongs to the series 'Antichità Romane de' Tempi della Repubblica, e de' primi Imperatori' and combines epigraphic accuracy with a decoratively framed page layout.
Description
Floral ornaments and geometric patterns frame the Latin inscriptions placed in the center. The layout is symmetrical, with the text blocks enclosed by a richly decorated border. The inscriptions refer to the archive of Septimius Severus in the Forum Boarium and to the Arch of Titus in Rome. The whole is executed as a black-and-white etching with even light distribution. The style is Baroque, the linework precise and detailed.
Context
The series was created in the mid-18th century, when antiquarian research was pursued intensively in Rome. With this etching, Piranesi documented Roman inscriptions that had been found outside the city walls. The period's interest in Roman epigraphy and in preserving ancient testimonies is palpable here.
Impact
The clear, symmetrical arrangement invites the viewer to read the inscriptions closely. The ornamental frame lends the documentary content an aesthetic dignity reminiscent of Baroque splendor. The precise linework creates a calm, concentrated effect.
Technique
For this etching, the drawing was engraved into a copper plate and then etched with acid. The process allows fine lines and details suitable for reproducing inscriptions and ornaments. The plate measures 23.6 × 35.8 cm, the sheet 33.1 × 48.1 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)