Various lamps in bronze and terracotta, one of them in form of a chimera 1769 - 1778

This engraving of bronze and terracotta lamps was made by Giovanni Battista Piranesi in the eighteenth century. Piranesi was interested in the public role of art and he used detailed imagery to explore his cultural references and historical associations. Made in Italy, the artwork reflects a time when classical antiquity was very much in vogue and archaeological discoveries were influencing the art world. Roman society provided inspiration for artists like Piranesi, especially the grandeur of its architecture. Piranesi’s work can be understood as part of a larger social pattern where artists and intellectuals were looking back to the classical world for inspiration. Historians of art and culture research the social conditions that shape artistic production through a range of resources, and this helps us understand the meaning of art as contingent on its social and institutional context.