Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Carceri, Vedute — visionary architecture

The architect who built only on paper — and in doing so created some of the most powerful images of the eighteenth century. His Vedute of Rome defined the Grand Tour's visual memory; the Carceri — imaginary prisons of impossible staircases and infinite vaults — are the most haunting architectural fantasies ever drawn.

Key works

• Carceri d'invenzione1745/1761— Imaginary prisons — Escher before Escher
  Numerous impressions — British Museum, London; Metropolitan Museum, New York
• Vedute di Roma1748-1778— 135 views that defined Rome's image
  Numerous impressions — major print rooms worldwide

Connections

External