The Castle of the Acqua Felice 

Curator: Let's turn our attention to this print. This is Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s "The Castle of the Acqua Felice," executed in etching and engraving. Piranesi was known for his dramatic depictions of Roman architecture and cityscapes. Editor: Immediately, I'm drawn to the sense of movement—almost chaos, yet within a structured, baroque frame. The water, of course, but also the people teeming around the base… it's as if the architecture is a stage and life's drama is unfolding. Curator: Absolutely. The Acqua Felice was a major aqueduct and fountain project revitalizing Rome's water supply in the late 16th century. Piranesi, working later, captures its significance through this grand perspective, connecting it to broader issues of urban development, power, and the human relationship to monumental architecture. Note the way he positions it almost like a proscenium, framing Roman society. Editor: I love how Piranesi plays with light and shadow. It's almost theatrical, and makes you wonder if there's some statement here. Is it just about showing the Aqueduct, or is there a darker political context he might be gesturing towards? The heavy shadows definitely add a certain foreboding! Curator: It's interesting you say that, given the ongoing social and political tensions in Rome at that time. He was deeply invested in Roman history and the legacy of its power, which inevitably had its complexities and contradictions. His approach here blends topographic accuracy with imaginative vision to elevate everyday urban realities, a gesture that makes this etching transcend simple documentation. Editor: The detail is amazing, too – if you zoom in, you get a sense of how hard things might be in those shadows he paints… Piranesi, like all of us I guess, lets things peek into the beauty, but always leaves breadcrumbs along a harsher trail. And as for his technique… oh my god. Curator: Well, Piranesi definitely wants you to feel that awe. Editor: Okay, well I felt it. So where can people dig a bit deeper if they want to learn more? Curator: Our exhibit catalogue has essays which consider Piranesi’s place within Baroque aesthetics and architectural politics. Editor: You sold me! Well, I suppose it's time to let somebody else into the Aqueduct, maybe to fall in love or be swallowed whole – that feels, to me, like what Piranesi wants, a truly transformative art experience.