Collection of DePaul University, Gift of Judge John T. O'Connell
Made/Created
Artist
Piranesi, Giovanni Battista
Place
City
Rome
County
Italy
Continent
Europe
Notes
Creation Date: mid-18th century, printed early 19th century
Ethnography
Notes
Italian
Europe, Italy
Lexicon
Legacy Lexicon
Class
WORKS ON PAPER
Dimensions
Dimension Description
sheet
Width
32 in
Length
22 in
Dimension Description
matte
Width
34 in
Length
28 in
Exhibition
Piranesi
Interpretative Labels
Label
Veduta della Piazza del Popolo
Piranesi, Giovanni Battista
Mid-19th century
Digital image scanned from "Giovanni Battista Piranesi: The Complete Etchings" Vol.1 by John Wilton-Ely, 1994.
Label
"Until the construction of railways in Rome in the nineteenth century, visitors entered the city through the Piazza del Popolo. The area acquired its monumental profile under Pope Sixtus V, who oversaw the construction of twin churches opposite the gateway into the square and the placement of an Egyptian obelisk in the center. In Piranesi's view, the obelisk extends almost from top to bottom of the composition, dwarfing the spectators gesturing beneath it and the coaches that circulate nearby. Radiating into the distance are the three great avenues that lead - as Piranesi's caption reminds us - to three popular tourist destinations, the Piazza di Spagna, the Palazzo di Venezia, and the Porto di Ripetta." - The Met
