Professional Documents
Culture Documents
J !
i \J ^ ii>i
ARITU
THE LIBRARY
BRIGHAM YOUN'^ UNIVERSITY
PROVO, UTAH
It
^v/
PIRANESI
PORTRAIT OF GIOVANNI BATTISTA PIRANESI.
PIRANESI
3^
ARTHUR SAMUEL
LONDON
B.TBATSFORa94.HIGH HOLBORN
NEW YORK
•> CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS'^
MCMX
THE LIBRARY
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
PROVO, UTAH
i
TO THE READER
For some years past I have admired and
collected the etchings of Piranesi, and feeling
ARTHUR SAMUEL.
48 Montagu Square,
Marble Arch, W.
October 1910.
4
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
The Reproductions involume are given for
this
PLATE
1. PORTRAIT OF GIOVANNI BATTISTA PIRANESI,
AGED 58 YEARS, BY GUISSEPPE CADES ;
ENGRAVED BY FRANCESCO PIRANESI . Frontispiece
HERCULES ......
CALLED THE TEMPLE OF VESTA OR OF
,,40
X
PLATE
COMPOSITION FROM " OPERE VARIE
"
VIII. Jacing p. 40
IX.
ETC* ••.••*
CANDELABRUM FROM " VASl CANDELABRI,
»> 57
lootft;^
—
PIRANESl
" My two friends came as expected, also Missie, and
staid till half-past two. Promised Sharpe the set of
Piranesi's views in the dining parlour. They belonged to
my Uncle, so I do not like to sell them." — Sir Walter
Scott's Diary, Feb. 14, 1826 (Lockhart's Life).
and parted.
Towards the end of 1737 Piranesi,
rridlf ". 3 .
20
Ilpmrw dt que^to Tempwenobzidnt^rU^ e/en^aJv dalsuob : veiiesiir,. nve^zo la.Ce/U rot»,nda, amie,
purt, tuta> tljr-(Ut Vcuro <Ul limpw ^(ej-^o : qu,U^ IvjjUpcni^a^ ad essa,, e per a/tretia^ ^caU b I
iHji
ts^mdaiifi *vs(mi.,e temwut, uvuna^rande- aperttircL. dalU i^Jipende^ iHunie^ allaXilla. che kj-tZLSotto.
44
53
^^cJuts.
alcro Candclairv aniico
rcjicst.
6i
the touch.
The publication of Piranesi's Roman
etchings and the admiration they inspired
tempered the tendency prevailing in
I
76
87
Chambers's work.
Piranesi early in life moved in what
were artistically and perhaps intellectually
the most desirable circles of Rome. He
was regarded as one of the sights of the
city, and was brought into contact with
many of the accomplished visitors who
flocked to Rome from all parts. His work
was probably known to every lover of the
Fine Arts who came to Italy.
94
shortcomings.
Put Piranesi to a similar test, go through
his hundreds of plates, and it will be
observed that each etching contributes
something to the degree and kind of our
appreciation. As to faults of execution,
it is surprising how difficult it is to
detect them. Examining the work of
men who etched before his time, and the
work of men who, after his death, tried to
imitate Piranesi, it will be thought that
no work can be put forward which possesses
quality sufficiently good to entitle it to be
classed as a competitor with that of Piranesi.
7
98
of which a " t
''
may occur sometimes
crossed and sometimes uncrossed, or minute
variations of that kind.
There were plenty of variations in the
plates. But, so long as the impressions
taken from them are of the original Roman
issue, they are all interesting for reasons much
lOI
Piranesi's plates :
—
"One no sooner strikes our eyes
gUtt'ring thought
With silent wonder, but new wonders rise :
1766.
Piranesi corresponded with Mylne over
a number of years, but although he
maintained intimate relations with several
English artists there are no evidences of his
ever having been in England.
The temperament of Piranesi had the
a
114
his stories.
ferred to above
124
1750 to 1820.
Not content with only influencing
architecture and furniture, Piranesi even
rambled into bookplates, designing and
signing one for " Mr. Menzies.'' Mr.
Menzies' bookplate is entirely such as
129
results.
143
sea, in 1798.
The other was Gavin Hamilton, of
Murdieston, a portrait painter, who had
spent most of his life at Rome, where he
ultimately died of fright, during the French
invasion in 1797.
They dabbled at first as collectors for
their own pleasure, and as amateurs. But
by degrees both took seriously to selling for
I50
Pudicitia
Head of a Muse
......
Bust of a Victor in the Olympic Games
. . . . .
75
50
15
151
...
marble . ;^I50
50
154
" Men doubt, because they stand so thick i' th' sky,
If those be stars, which paint the galaxy."^
176
reproduce.
His genius stamped the art of etching
with a distinction which etching, as an
i85
18;
192
13
—
BIBLIOGRAPHY
In addition to the standard Works of reference,
Encyclopaedias, Dictionaries, and Biographies, the
following authorities have been consulted :
Repository of Arts, 1 8 1 2.
ii.
54 ; iv. 56.
1786. 218 plates = vol. i. 44; ii. 6^ ;
Statue Antiche.
41 plates. {Francesco Tiranesi.)
Piranesi's letterpress catalogue (see
207
Tombeau de Mammia.
Cloitre des Chartreux dans Thermes de
les
6 plates.
Plan de la Villa Adrienne, ou d'on voit les
ruines des Edifices que TEmpereur avait
construits dans le style des batimens les plus
remarquables de la Grece et d'Egypte.
En 6 feuilles.
3 plates.
—
209
G I
Gellee, 4.
Geoffroy, 147. J
Gibbon, 88, 137, 187. Jenkins, Thos., 91, 145,146,156.
Gibbons, Grinling, 53. Johnson, Dr., 76, 87, 187.
Goday, Don M. de, 126. Jonson, Cornelius, 53.
Goethe, 5,47, 78,95, 138, 142, Joseph II., Emperor, 139.
151, 188. Joubert, 182.
Goldoni, 37. Juvenal, 20.
Goths, 27.
Grasme, 90.
K
Grattan, Henry, 76. Kauffmann, Angelica, 47, 48.
Grenville, George, 91. Kneller, 53.
Guardi, 136. Knight, Payne, 152.
Guiscard, 27.
Gustavus III,, of Sweden, 13,
I39> 156, 157, 167. Laguerre, 53.
Gustavus Adophus ix., 161. Lanciani, Professor, 34.
Lansdowne House, 145, 150,
H 152.
Hadrian's Villa at Tivoli, 13, Laocoon, 180,
14, 66, 149. Lely, 53.
H alley, 51. Lepautre, 105.
—
213
Lessing, 142, 180. Nero, II.
Lincoln, Lord, 91, 144. Newgate Prison, iii, 121.
Livy, 171, 177- Newton, 51, 54, 187.
Lock, 59. Nollekens, 52, 148.
Lockhart, i. Normans, 27.
Locri, 15. Norwich School of Painting,
Lolli family, 149. 56.
Lombards, 27. Nostell Priory, j^f-
Longhi, 136, 140.
Lorrain, Claude de, 4.
Louvre, The, 156. Psestum, 9, 12, 32, 123, 128.
Lucchesi, 2. Palladio, 14, 32.
Palmerston, Lord, 91.
M Pannini, 4, 25, 39.
Macaulay, 51, 92. Pantanello, 149.
Macquoid, Percy, 68. Pantheon, The, 28, 132, 163.
Machiavelii, 28. Parker, 76, 78.
Maecenas, 148. Pasquali, 140.
Marieschi, 136. Pastorini, 47.
Mariette, 8. Paul, The Czar, 139.
Marot, 105. Pergolesi, 47, 65, 67.
Mascati, 2. "Periwig and Pigtail," 63.
Mattel Villa, 148. Petty, 51.
Menzies, 124. Petworth, 145.
Michaud, i, 164. Philoctetus, 180.
Michelangelo, 188. Pio-Clementine Musee, 152,
Milton, 19, 188. 160.
Moliere, 45. Piranesi's
Monnier, 37, 135, 139. birth, I.
214
Piranesi's R
election to Society of Anti- Regia Calcografia, 99.
quaries, 70. Revett, N., 'jT, 78.
English and Scottish Reynolds, Sir J., 76, 87.
admirers, 91. Rezzonico, 21, 35.
journey to Naples, 12. Ricci of Belluno, 4.
journey to Rome, 4. Rimini, 17.
habit of working out of Rococo, 62, 63.
doors, 1 19. Rossi, Girolamo, 30.
influence on furniture
design, 59 to 68, 71.
instructors, 4. Salcindio Tiseio, 39, 112.
knighthood, 7. Santa Maria del Popolo, 34.
models, 21. St. Andrea della Fratte, 33.
pupils, 30. St. Maria Aventina, 2>2)'
FEB 2 5 t998
rc^i 1 ^ lMft*
JA ^ 4 2005
1 .
m 1
m 1
m
DEMCO, INC. 38-2971 j
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY