Image of Gallery in South Kensington
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Title Page

Print
ca. 1750 (engraved), 1803-1807 (produced)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Portrait format engraving. The engraving forms the title page of a volume. It depicts an ancient stone, with a cameo portrait of Giovanni Battista Piranesi in the centre. There are Roman engravings both above and below the cameo. Underneath the stone there are several classical motifs, including an armoured soldier, a city plan of Rome, and Roman vases.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleTitle Page (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Engraving, paper
Brief description
'Title page,' engraved by Francesco Piranesi and Joseph Cades, 1779. Engraving from Le Antichita Romane di Giambatista Piranesi, Volume 1, Giovanni Piranesi ca. 1750, volume bound together in Paris by Tessier, 1803-1807.
Physical description
Portrait format engraving. The engraving forms the title page of a volume. It depicts an ancient stone, with a cameo portrait of Giovanni Battista Piranesi in the centre. There are Roman engravings both above and below the cameo. Underneath the stone there are several classical motifs, including an armoured soldier, a city plan of Rome, and Roman vases.
Dimensions
  • Height: 42.7cm
  • Width: 31.5cm
The dimensions refer to the engraving only.
Marks and inscriptions
  • EQVES . IO . BAPT . PIRANESIUS \ VENETUS . ARCHITECTUS \ VIX . ANN . LIIX \ OB . VID . NOVEMB . CICICCCLXXIIX
  • Francifeus Piranesius invenit et sculpsit 1779
    Transliteration
    Francifeus Piranesius made these carvings in 1779.
  • Josephus Cades vultum delineavit
    Transliteration
    Josephus Cades depicted the face
Object history
The image on the title page is a copy of a self-portrait by Piranesi, copied by his son for the title page of this volume.

The collection of volumes was previously owned by Decimus Burton and his bookplate is pasted in the inside cover of this volume.
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Bibliographic references
  • From departmental notes.
  • From the bookbinders sticker on the inside cover of Volume 1 of 'Le Antichita Romane di Giambatista Piranesi.'
Collection
Accession number
E.3958-1908

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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