The Gothic Arch by Giovanni Battista Piranesi

The Gothic Arch c. 1761

print, etching

toned paper

light pencil work

print

pen sketch

etching

pencil sketch

ink drawing experimentation

pen-ink sketch

sketchbook drawing

italy

sketchbook art

pencil art

watercolor

Giovanni Battista Piranesi's "The Gothic Arch" (c. 1761) is an etching that showcases the artist's masterful use of light and shadow to create a sense of depth and grandeur. This print, part of the series "Carceri d'Invenzione" (Imaginary Prisons), depicts a labyrinthine, dreamlike structure filled with arches, staircases, and shadowy figures. Piranesi's evocative imagery evokes a sense of both awe and claustrophobia, reflecting the fascination with the power of architecture and the hidden spaces within ancient Roman ruins.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 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.