Title page from 'Roman Antiquity of the Time of the Republic and the First Emperors' (Antichità Romane de' Tempi della Repubblica, e de' primi Imperatori)
Original title: Title page from "Roman Antiquity of the Time of the Republic and the First Emperors" (Antichità Romane de' Tempi della Repubblica, e de' primi Imperatori)
kurzbeschreibung
Around 1748 Giovanni Battista Piranesi etched the title page for his plate series 'Antichità Romane de' Tempi della Repubblica, e de' primi Imperatori'. The Italian title and dedication are woven into a decorative framework of tendrils and flowers, so that the sheet opens the archaeological publication like a frontispiece.
Description
A broad ornamental band of floral and scrolling motifs runs across the full width of the upper sheet. It frames a rectangular area beneath, which holds the title and dedication in Italian. Further leaf and tendril ornaments descend along the side edges. Black and white govern the whole image; figures or narrative action are nowhere to be found.
Context
The sheet arose during Piranesi's early Roman years, when from 1740 onward he studied the ancient buildings in depth. With the 'Antichità Romane' he pursued the aim of systematically recording Roman architecture and bringing it closer to a wider public. The dedication on the title page points to a patron without whose support the costly etchings and prints would hardly have been possible.
Impact
Sumptuous ornament and a symmetrical layout give the page a ceremonial, representative character that sets the ambition of the work before the viewer. Clear, high-contrast lines draw the eye to the title at the center and underscore the weight of the content.
Technique
The etching was executed by the acid process on a copper plate; for the ornamental details Piranesi worked with fine lines and hatching. The sheet is printed on laid paper, the plate measures 23.5 × 35.7 cm, the sheet itself 32.8 × 48.3 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)