View in perspective of the great Fountain of Trevi said Virgin, architecture Nicola Salvi 

This print of the Trevi Fountain was made by Giovanni Battista Piranesi in the 1700s, using etching and engraving. These processes involve coating a metal plate with wax, then scratching into it with a sharp tool to expose the metal, which is then bitten by acid. This creates the lines that hold ink, and transfer the image to paper. The magic of Piranesi lies in his capacity to evoke material grandeur with simple means. He suggests the monumental scale of the fountain through the meticulous labor of mark-making. Look closely, and you’ll see how he creates a full tonal range, from bright highlights to deep shadows, using only the varying density of lines. This would have required great skill and patience. Piranesi’s prints like this one were made for wide circulation. The print medium was critical to how the architecture of the past was consumed by later generations, including how it was regarded. His work collapses the distinction between the fine arts and something closer to the graphic design of his era. So the next time you visit the Trevi Fountain, consider also Piranesi’s labor of love, which has done so much to shape our view of this iconic landmark.