← Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Dedication to Giovanni Bottari (Dédicace à Bottari), from "Antichità Romane de' Tempi della Repubblica, e de' primi Imperatori"

Original title: Dedication to Giovanni Bottari (Dédicace à Bottari), from "Antichità Romane de' Tempi della Repubblica, e de' primi Imperatori"

Artist

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Date

ca. 1748

Medium

Etching

Dimensions

Plate: 9 5/16 × 14 1/8 in. (23.6 × 35.8 cm) Sheet: 13 1/16 × 18 3/8 in. (33.1 × 46.7 cm)

Credit line

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1937

kurzbeschreibung

This etching from around 1748 is the dedication page to Giovanni Battista Piranesi's publication 'Antichità Romane de' Tempi della Repubblica, e de' primi Imperatori'. A block of text, framed by floral and ornamental motifs, is dedicated to Giovanni Bottari. Typographic elegance and Baroque ornamentation come together on this sheet.

Description

The layout is strictly symmetrical: at the centre sits the text block, enclosed by a border of floral and ornamental motifs that is emphasised at top and bottom. An elaborate Baroque-style lettering introduces the text, opening the dedication to Giovanni Bottari. The etching's very finely worked lines produce strong contrasts of light and dark, characteristic of the process. At the bottom margin appears the signature 'Giambattista Piranesi' with the addition of his profession as architect.

Context

Piranesi made this etching as the dedication leaf for his work on Roman antiquities, published around 1748. Honouring Giovanni Bottari, a scholar and librarian, with a dedication was in line with the custom of the time to pay respect to patrons and supporters. Trained as an architect, Piranesi combined archaeological documentation with artistic design in his publications. The sheet belongs to a series that records remains from the time of the Roman Republic and the early Imperial period.

Impact

Through its symmetrical arrangement and delicate ornament, the print has an elegant and representative air. The interplay between the clearly set lines of text and the playful decorative forms gives rise to a solemn, almost ceremonial presence. The monochrome contributes to the clarity of the structure and draws the eye to the dedication.

Technique

The sheet is executed as an etching, in which lines are worked into a metal plate and then bitten with acid. This allows fine, even lines, used here for the rich ornaments and precise lettering. The paper format exceeds the size of the plate, suggesting an impression with a wide margin.

AI-generated description text

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