PIRANESI Giovanni Battista (1720 - 1778), Veduta della Basilica e Piazza di S. Pietro in Vaticano.

Veduta della Basilica e Piazza di S. Pietro in Vaticano.

Etching. Signed on the plate p.d.: "Piranesi del. scol." 3 prints from the series "Vedute di Roma". 1748. Plate imprint: 39.5 x 53.5 cm (in frame behind glass: 61.5 cm x 74.5 cm).
Under the composition on both sides of the main title text in 4 points explaining the scene: "1. Palazzo Pontificio fabricato da Sisto V. / 2. Loggie di Giulio II. architettura di Bramante Lazzari, e / dipinte da Raffaelle d'Urbino / Veduta della Basilica, e Piazza di S. Pietro in Vaticano / 3 Guglia eretta sa Sisto V. / 4 Vasca tutta di un pezzo di granito Orientale." St. Peter's Square and Basilica in Vatican City, is one of the most interesting works of the Italian architect: A very good, dark and even print with strong contrasts. Giovanni Battista (or Giambattista) Piranesi (1720 - 1778), Italian printmaker and architect. He studied in Venice, from where he traveled to Naples, Herculaneum and Pompeii for study. From 1745 he was active in Rome. Piranesi's most important field of activity was the study of architecture and ancient art (especially of Rome), supported by numerous travels, archaeological research, measurements and drawings, which resulted in a very large number (more than 2,000) of graphic works (etchings, copper engravings), mainly depicting views of ancient buildings, archaeological finds. Lit. by Ficacci L. - Piranesi. The complete Etchings. No. 874. 9277/52