Chimneypiece in the Egyptian style, from Diverse Maniere d'adornare i cammini (...) (Different Ways of ornamenting chimneypieces and all other parts of houses)
ca. 1769
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 15 3/4 x 21 9/16 in. (40 x 54.7 cm) Plate: 9 13/16 x 15 1/4 in. (25 x 38.7 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1973
Accession Number
1973.509.8
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the imaginative world of Giovanni Battista Pir, the 18th-century Italian master etcher renowned for his intricate architectural fantasies and detailed views of ancient Rome. etching, titled *Chimneypiece in the Egyptian style*, comes from his 1769 publication *Diverse Maniere'adornare i cam* ("Different Ways of Ornamenting Chimneypieces and All Other Parts of"). Created around 1769, it showcases Piranesi's passion for reviving classical motifs, blending historical accuracy with creative flair to inspire architects and designers of the Neoclassical era. The design depicts an elaborat...
About the Artist
Giovanni Battista Piranesi · 1720–1778
Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720–1778) was an Italian printmaker, architect, and antiquarian whose visionary etchings of Rome and imaginary prisons revolutionized architectural representation and profoundly influenced both Neoclassicism and Romanticism. Piranesi stands as one of the most important printmakers of the eighteenth century, fundamentally shaping European perceptions of ancient Rome an...