Giovanni Battista Piranesi

(Italian, 1720–1778)

Giovanni Battista Piranesi was an Italian draftsman, printmaker, and architect. Famed for his Neoclassical etchings, Piranesi used ancient Greek and Roman ruins as inspiration to create macabre dungeon scenes filled with elaborate contraptions. “I need to produce great ideas,” the artist once stated. “And I believe that if I were commissioned to design a new universe, I would be mad enough to undertake it.” Born on October 4, 1720 in Mogliano Veneto, Italy, he went on to study Latin, ancient Roman culture, architecture, and later etching under Giuseppe Vasi at the Palazzo Venezia. These studies, combined with his subtle use of gravure techniques, granted his etchings believable depth and structural perspective. Piranesi’s depictions of Rome quickly garnered him commissions from members of the clergy and aristocracy, and would influence later generations of artists including the Surrealists. Piranesi died on November 9, 1778 in Rome, Italy. Today, his works are in the collections of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the Louvre Museum in Paris, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, among others.

Related Categories

Drawings and Works on Paper, Old Masters, Prints and Multiples

Related Artists

Etienne Louis Boullee, Canaletto, Francesco Piranesi, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Giuseppe Vasi

Most Expensive Artwork Sold at Auction

Invenzioni Capric di Carceri (14 works), 1758 - 1760
Sold price: 459,750 USD

Giovanni Battista Piranesi Artworks

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Giovanni Battista Piranesi (8,868 results)
Giovanni Battista Piranesi, 1753

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, 1753

Sale Date: April 20, 2022

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Ancient Circus of Mars with Neighboring...

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Ancient Circus of Mars with Neighboring...

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“Piramide di C. Cestio”, 1756

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

“Piramide di C. Cestio”, 1756

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“Parte di ampio magnifico Porto all’uso..., 1750

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

“Parte di ampio magnifico Porto all’uso..., 1750

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“Veduta degli avanzi superiori delle Terme..., 1774

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

“Veduta degli avanzi superiori delle Terme..., 1774

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„Rovine delle Terme Antoniane“, 1765

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

„Rovine delle Terme Antoniane“, 1765

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“Veduta interna dell’Atrio del Portico di..., 1760

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

“Veduta interna dell’Atrio del Portico di..., 1760

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“Veduta di Piazza di Spagna”, 1750

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

“Veduta di Piazza di Spagna”, 1750

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“Veduta del tempio della Sibilla in Tivoli”, 1761

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

“Veduta del tempio della Sibilla in Tivoli”, 1761

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The Staircase with Trophies, 1749

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

The Staircase with Trophies, 1749

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“Veduta interna del Panteon”, 1768

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

“Veduta interna del Panteon”, 1768

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“Veduta dell’insigne Basilica Vaticana”, 1775

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

“Veduta dell’insigne Basilica Vaticana”, 1775

Sale Date: April 20, 2022

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“Veduta dell’interno dell’Anfiteatro Flavio..., 1766

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

“Veduta dell’interno dell’Anfiteatro Flavio..., 1766

Sale Date: April 20, 2022

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“Invenzioni Capric di Carceri all acqua..., 1749

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

“Invenzioni Capric di Carceri all acqua..., 1749

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“Veduta del Pantheon d’Agrippa oggi Chiesa..., 1761

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

“Veduta del Pantheon d’Agrippa oggi Chiesa..., 1761

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A Lofty Arch with Vista onto an Arcade...

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

A Lofty Arch with Vista onto an Arcade...

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Prisoners on a Projecting Platform, 1749

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Prisoners on a Projecting Platform, 1749

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“Veduta dell’Anfiteatro Flavio detto il..., 1776

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

“Veduta dell’Anfiteatro Flavio detto il..., 1776

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“Veduta dell’ Arco di Costantino, 1760

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

“Veduta dell’ Arco di Costantino, 1760

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The Gothic Arch, 1749

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

The Gothic Arch, 1749

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The Round Tower, 1749

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

The Round Tower, 1749

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“Veduta dell’Anfiteatro Flavio detto il..., 1757

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

“Veduta dell’Anfiteatro Flavio detto il..., 1757

Sale Date: April 20, 2022

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Five 18th century views of Rome by Giovanni..., 1756

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Five 18th century views of Rome by Giovanni..., 1756

Sale Date: April 13, 2022

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Der ägyptische Oberlisk auf der Piazza di S. , 1759

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Der ägyptische Oberlisk auf der Piazza di S. , 1759

Sale Date: April 14, 2022

Auction Closed

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