Piranesi, Giovanni Battista, 1720-1778

The son of Angelo and Laura Piranesi, Giambattista Piranesi first came to Rome in 1740 as a young architect from Venice. He studied Roman history with an older brother, studied engraving in the studio of Giuseppe Vasi, as well as the art of perspective. In 1743, he traveled to Naples and studied painting, returning to Venice for a year when he became ill. He returned to Rome eventually moving to the Strada Felice at the Palazzo Tomati. He never left Rome after 1745 except briefly to Etruscan sites or excavations. In 1752, he married Angela Pasquini and had 3 children with her. With the Vedute di Roma, he made drawings which would then be etched, using a copper plate coated with hard varnish. "I create the effect on the copper, and make of it an original."

From the description of Vedute di Roma designate ed incise da Giambattista Piranesi [picture]. [between 1748-1778?] (Haverford College Library). WorldCat record id: 54794145

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