Artwork
Nuova pianta di Roma data in luce da Giambattista Nolli l’anno MDCCXLVII, known as La Pianta Grande di Roma
Nuova pianta di Roma data in luce da Giambattista Nolli l’anno MDCCXLVII, known as La Pianta Grande di Roma is a print by the Baroque artist Giovanni Battista Nolli. It dates from 1748 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
If you like how cities can be measured and drawn this carefully, check out the subject of *Italy, 18th century*.
You’re looking at a giant map of Rome—twelve sheets pieced together like a puzzle, almost six feet wide. Every street, church, and courtyard is drawn with ruler-straight lines and tiny labels.
Nolli spent over ten years walking the city with surveying tools to get every angle right. He even shaded the buildings so you can tell public spaces from private ones at a glance.
If you like how cities can be measured and drawn this carefully, check out the subject of *Italy, 18th century*.
Overview
This large-scale print, measuring approximately 5 x 7 feet when assembled, is a comprehensive map of Rome created by Giovanni Battista Nolli. It comprises twelve plates and represents a significant achievement in cartography and printmaking.
Technique & Style
Nolli's 'ichnographic' plan presents a detailed, scaled representation of Rome's architecture and infrastructure, reduced to a single horizontal plane. The map's clarity is achieved through precise surveying and the use of new measuring devices, allowing for accurate dimensions, proportions, and orientations.
History & Provenance
Published in 1748, the map was the result of over a decade of work by Nolli and his team. It set new standards for accuracy and thoroughness in cartography, marking a significant milestone in the field.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giambattista Nolli, was an Italian architect and surveyor. He is best known for his ichnographic plan of Rome, the Pianta Grande di Roma which he began surveying in 1736 and engraved in 1748, and now universally known…
