Plate 28: Arch of Trajan in Ancona (Arco di Trajano in Ancona), from "Alcune Vedute di Archi Trionfali ed altri monumenti inalzati da Romani parte di quali se veggono in Roma e parte per l'Italia"
Original title: Plate 28: Arch of Trajan in Ancona (Arco di Trajano in Ancona), from "Alcune Vedute di Archi Trionfali ed altri monumenti inalzati da Romani parte di quali se veggono in Roma e parte per l'Italia" (Some Views of Triumphal Arches and other monuments erected by the Romans, some of which are in Rome and some elsewhere in Italy)
kurzbeschreibung
Giovanni Battista Piranesi devoted this etching of about 1748 to the Arch of Trajan in Ancona. It belongs to his series 'Alcune Vedute di Archi Trionfali', in which he presents Roman triumphal arches and other ancient structures. The print shows the monument embedded in the city and is part of a collection that deals with Roman architecture in Rome and beyond Italy.
Description
A mighty arch dominates the center, flanked by a wall. On either side, sailing ships with their masts can be seen, a hint of the harbor of Ancona. Behind, buildings and a tower rise, suggesting the urban setting. Small figures enliven the foreground and the wall sections. The etching remains monochrome, with even lighting characteristic of Piranesi's documentary views.
Context
In the 1740s Piranesi worked intensively on the series 'Alcune Vedute di Archi Trionfali', shortly after moving to Rome and beginning to establish himself there as a draftsman and architectural theorist. Ancona was considered an important port, and its Arch of Trajan was a well-known ancient monument that he included in his compilation. The engagement with Roman antiquity shaped this phase of his career.
Impact
The ancient arch is rendered precisely and asserts itself as a monumental body despite the surrounding buildings. Archaeological accuracy and picturesque staffage combine to give the print a calm, factual air. The viewer gains a clear impression of how the monument is integrated into the urban fabric.
Technique
For this etching, the drawing was incised into a copper plate coated with wax and then etched. The plate measures 14.1 × 27.6 cm, the sheet 33 × 48.3 cm. Piranesi used fine lines for the architecture and stronger strokes for the shadows to create depth.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)