![]() In Piranesi, and in Piranesi, it’s prisons all the way down.Ĭlarke’s novel comes at a moment with an unfortunate resemblance to Piranesi’s Italy. And reading her novel in 2020 makes it clear why Piranesi’s Carceri have, in the end, become even more indelible than his images of Rome’s decaying grandeur. The eponymous hero of her new novel Piranesilives alone in a version of them, a salt-soaked and sun-drenched series of halls he calls the House. Susanna Clarke is the latest writer to draw inspiration from the endless halls, staircases and arches of the prison engravings. Marguerite Yourcenar, the novelist and member of the French Academy, borrowed Hugo’s description of the engraver for the title of her long essay about his work: “The Dark Brain of Piranesi.” ![]() Piranesi’s goth genius was like catnip for Herman Melville and Victor Hugo. But the sinister, unique and inscrutable prisons, though unpopular during Piranesi’s lifetime, later became the darling subject of moody writers and critics. The Carceri d’Invenzione (imaginary prisons), first sold as a set of fourteen prints, were a flop, especially compared to the images of Roman ruins Piranesi would make later in his career. ![]() When he recovered, instead of doing his best to forget about the nightmarish dungeons he’d imagined while he was sick, Piranesi set them to copper plates and had them published. Delirious with fever, the 22-year-old aspiring architect hallucinated prisons. Malaria, a seasonal epidemic that killed thousands of Italians every year until the middle of the 20th century, afflicts sufferers with high fever, chills, and pounding headaches, among other nasty symptoms. Pleased with his improvements to his own work, Piranesi proudly took ownership of this second iteration, firmly “carving” his name and preferred title- G Battista Piranesi archit Vene -in stone on the frontispiece.In 1742, the Italian engraver Giovanni Battista Piranesi fell ill. The shadowy depths of these re-worked chambers, achieved through a sophisticated amalgamation of sulphur tint, scratching, burnishing, and drypoint, create a dark mystique that outshines the softer atmosphere of the First Edition. This complete portfolio of the Second through Fifth Editions of the series is testament to the artist’s inventive imagination and mastery of printmaking techniques. The Carceri are unique amongst his vast oeuvre of capricci in that they have no basis in reality, but rather demonstrate the full potential of Piranesi’s wild imagination. Perhaps inspired by his fellow Venetian Canaletto, the printmaker embellished upon romantic ruins, adding flourishes and placing them wherever he willed. Though Grand Tourists viewed him as an authority on the city and its history, Piranesi’s renderings are best described as capricci, or architectural fantasies. Hailing from Venice, Piranesi followed his passion for design to Rome, where he made a name for himself producing etchings and engraving that captured Roman grandeur. Giovanni Battista Piranesi is said to have declared, “I need to produce great ideas, and I believe that if I were commissioned to design a new universe, I would be mad enough to undertake it.” With his Carceri d’Invenzione, the artist did just that, illustrating an imaginary prison that still inspires authors and architects today. ![]() NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE." Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. "In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. ![]() With full margins, in good condition, with soiling and staining along the sheet edges, faint stray fox marks in the margins, Plate I with a few pale water stains visible in raking light (a printer's crease in the lower margin), Plate V with a couple of printer's creases below and to the right of the plate, Plate X with handling creases near sheet edges, Plate XII with a soft diagonal crease at the bottom right corner, and Plate XIII with more apparent soiling and staining at the bottom right corner. ![]()
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