Veduta della Piazza del Popolo Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Original etching in its third state, Rome imprint ( Hind 14-III ) of the Piazza del Popolo and the churches of Sta Maria Montesanto and Santa Maria Miracoli built by Bernini and Carlo Fontana.Piranesi ( 1720-1778). The etching represents the famous Piazza with the Tridente ( via del Corso,Babuino and Ripetta) and the Flaminio obelisk. Piranesi is considered the most important engraver at Rome during the XVIII century. Piranesi illustrated antiquities,monuments and archeological remains either in Rome and other parts of Italy. His output of etched plates is about 1000 numbers in all and most of them of larger dimensions. Piranesi provided of antiquities and restored antiques to a distinguihed international clientele visiting Rome eager to buy fragments or complete pieces for decorating theis houses and palaces across Europe. The Grand Tour visitors of Rome found at the Piranesi's workshop the best place to buy antiquities and also the etchings and different illustrated books published by Piranesi like Veduta di Roma or Antichita de Roma in 4 volumes.The circulation of Piranesis's works along Europe meant a first hand knowledge of the classical ruins and the development of the neoclassical taste joint with the work of Hamilton and Le Roy that influenced painting, decorative arts,etc.