Giovanni Battista Piranesi (Italian, 1720–1778) was a draughtsman, printmaker, architect, and art theorist. His prints of Roman architecture greatly contributed to the city’s fame, the growth of classical archaeology, and the neoclassical movement. Born outside of Venice, at the age of 20, Piranesi traveled to Rome as a draughtsman, where he studied with the leading printmakers of the day, including Giuseppe Vasi.

In 1747, he began what would become his most well-known series of works, the Vedute di Roma (Views of Rome). Also during this time, Piranesi made studies of many of the ancient edifices in the city, which led to the publication of Le Antichità Romane de’ tempo della prima Repubblica e dei primi imperatori (Roman Antiquities of the Time of the First Republic and the First Emperors).

First published in 1750, Piranesi’s other renowned series of works was Carceri d’invenzione (Imaginary Prisons), 16 prints depicting ancient Roman and Baroque ruins converted into fantastical dungeons. These prints greatly influenced the development of Romanticism and Surrealism.

In 1761, he became a member of the Accademia di San Luca and opened a printing facility of his own. In 1762, the Campo Marzio dell’antica Roma collection of engravings was printed.

Throughout his career, he was known for his remarkable technical mastery, as well as his unmatched ability to accurately depict structures. Today, his works are contained in numerous institutions around the world, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.