Dimensions: 16 7/16 x 21 11/16 in. (41.75 x 55.09 cm) (plate)
Copyright: Public Domain
Giovanni Battista Piranesi created this print, titled "The Gothic Arch," using etching and engraving techniques. Piranesi’s intricate cross-hatching emphasizes the weight and scale of this impossible architectural space. The print’s dark tonality contributes to its mysterious and awe-inspiring atmosphere, while the texture, created by the lines and marks, adds a tactile dimension to the image. Piranesi was a master printmaker. His skill was in full evidence as he manipulated the copper plate to create an astonishing level of detail. The labor-intensive processes of etching and engraving, which involve covering a metal plate with wax, incising lines, and then applying acid to bite into the metal, reflect a time before industrial modes of artistic production. The final image required considerable printing expertise, which was part of a wider economy of labor, politics, and consumption. Ultimately, Piranesi elevates printmaking to the level of high art, reflecting his training as an architect and stage designer.
Comments
minneapolisinstituteofart over 1 year ago
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In his training as a young architect, Piranesi learned techniques of Baroque stage design, which he used to impart grandeur to his drawings. He was especially fond of oblique projections—slanting forms that create a strong sensation of space—and their manipulation through subtle shifts of perspective. He often included tiny human figures to provide a sense of scale.
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