Miscellaneous furniture including two sedan chairs, a side table and a commode (Deux ch. à porteurs v. de côté, console, flambeau.), from Diverse Maniere d'adornare i cammini ed ogni altra parte degli edifizi...(Different Ways of ornamenting chimneypieces and all other parts of houses)
Original title: Miscellaneous furniture including two sedan chairs, a side table and a commode (Deux ch. à porteurs v. de côté, console, flambeau.), from Diverse Maniere d'adornare i cammini ed ogni altra parte degli edifizi...(Different Ways of ornamenting chimneypieces and all other parts of houses)
kurzbeschreibung
Around 1769, Giovanni Battista Piranesi produced this etching, which brings together a group of furniture and fittings: two sedan chairs, a console table, a commode and candlesticks. The sheet belongs to the series 'Diverse Maniere d'adornare i cammini ed ogni altra parte degli edifizi', in which the artist presents ornamental designs. The pieces are enriched with lavish decoration, figures and coats of arms.
Description
Your eye is first caught by the two sedan chairs, which stand out through their elaborate ornamentation with figures and coats of arms. Arranged in perspective, you also see a console table with intricate ornaments on its legs and upper rail, a commode with a large coat of arms flanked by figures at its center, and candlesticks with decorated stems and tops. The black-and-white rendering enhances the sense of space and the details of each piece.
Context
This etching forms part of Piranesi's collection 'Diverse Maniere d'adornare i cammini ed ogni altra parte degli edifizi', published in 1769 and devoted to the decoration of fireplaces and other elements of interior architecture. During this period the artist engaged deeply with ancient and contemporary ornament. The furniture designs reflect the taste of the Roman nobility in the 18th century, for whom Piranesi often worked.
Impact
The precise rendering of ornamental detail draws the viewer into the opulent world of Roman Rococo. The perspective arrangement of the furniture creates spatial depth, making the splendor of the pieces stand out. The black-and-white technique gives the designs graphic clarity, so that forms and decorations are distinctly emphasized.
Technique
The sheet is an etching, an intaglio process in which the drawing is bitten into a copper plate. Piranesi used this technique for fine lines and shading that accurately reproduce the ornamental details. The plate measures 39 x 25.4 cm; the work is printed on a larger sheet of paper measuring 55 x 40 cm.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)