Before diving into the collection itself, one must understand the hand that held the burin. Born in Mogliano Veneto, Piranesi was trained as an architect but found the actual building of structures limiting. He realized his true medium was the etching needle. Moving to Rome in 1740, he became obsessed with the Grandeur that was Rome . At the time, the Roman Empire’s ruins were often dismissed as barbaric leftovers. Piranesi disagreed violently.
Piranesi was born in Mestre, near Venice, and studied architecture in Rome. He was fascinated by the ancient ruins of Rome and began to produce etchings of the city's monuments, ruins, and imaginary landscapes. His etchings often featured fantastical and dreamlike scenes, including depictions of ancient temples, amphitheaters, and other architectural wonders. piranesi. the complete etchings