View of a large structure, remains of the Tomb of the Metelli on the Appian Way about five miles from Porta S. Sebastiano, in the village of S. Maria Nuova..., tome 3, tavola 15 from "Le Antichità Romane" (Roman Antiquities)
Original title: View of a large structure, remains of the Tomb of the Metelli on the Appian Way about five miles from Porta S. Sebastiano, in the village of S. Maria Nuova..., tome 3, tavola 15 from "Le Antichità Romane" (Roman Antiquities)
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike the other vedute in the series, this sheet is devoted to the Tomb of the Metelli, which lies about five miles beyond the Porta S. Sebastiano in the village of S. Maria Nuova. The etching appeared in 1756–57 as plate 15 of the third volume of 'Le Antichità Romane' and thus forms part of Piranesi's large-scale survey of Roman antiquity.
Description
A massive, ruined structure of irregular stone courses rises in several tiers. The front is pierced by several arches and niches, overgrown with plants and moss. Figures animate the foreground, among them a man on a ladder that gives a sense of the building's size. Beyond, a wide landscape with trees opens under a clear sky.
Context
Piranesi conceived 'Le Antichità Romane' as a documentary project on the ancient buildings of Rome, based on precise measurements and archaeological research. With this publication he contributed significantly to a new appreciation of Roman architecture and influenced Neoclassicism throughout Europe.
Impact
Fine lines and strong shading give the sheet a palpable mood of decay. The staffage figures in the foreground bring the monumental ruin into relation with human scale, making it appear all the more sublime.
Technique
This print is an etching: the drawing was bitten into a copper plate that had previously been treated with acid. Precise lines and fine hatching allow textures and lighting effects to be rendered in detail.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)