Giovanni Battista Piranesi, a Critical Study: with a List of His Published Works and Detailed Catalogues of the Prisons and the View of Rome

Reprint of the 1922 edition. Cloth, Octavo. xii, 96pp. Frontispiece and 146 illustrations. Piranesi (1720-1778), Italian engraver and architect, is best known for his etchings of ancient and baroque Rome and the grandiose architectural constructions of his own imagination. In 1745 Piranesi's first real success came with his Carceri d' Invenzione, or Imaginary Prisons, 16 large plates that are often considered his masterpieces. Piranesi's next enterprise was to record the ruins of ancient Rome. It was to be the biggest project of his life. In 1756 Piranesi published his Roman Antiquities, four huge volumes containing over 200 folio plates. Hind's work is still one of the standard works on Piranesi. In all Hind describes 146 of Piranesi's work, including all the views of Rome, and the Carceri. Hind is invaluable for information on watermarks and states of each etching. He also provides information on dimensions, numbering, and publishers. Hind also provides a complite list of all the known works of Piranesi. He also provides a bibliography, and index, and illustrations of 124 the views of Rome.