Artwork

Views of Rome: The Tomb, called La Connocchia

Views of Rome:  The Tomb, called La Connocchia, by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, 1776
Views of Rome:  The Tomb, called La Connocchia, by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, 1776

Views of Rome: The Tomb, called La Connocchia is a print by the Romanticist artist Giovanni Battista Piranesi. It dates from 1776 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Views of Rome: The Tomb, called La Connocchia is a print by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, created in 1776, and is part of the collection at The Cleveland Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a neglected ancient temple, overgrown with vegetation and half-buried in rocky terrain, with small figures in the foreground, evoking a sense of isolation and abandonment.

Technique & Style

Piranesi employed shading to accentuate the texture of the stone, creating a rough, weathered appearance, and utilized dramatic lighting, characteristic of chiaroscuro, to heighten the emotional impact of the scene.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Artist

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Giovanni Battista (or Giambattista) Piranesi (Italian pronunciation: ; also known as simply Piranesi; 4 October 1720 – 9 November 1778) was an Italian classical archaeologist, architect, and artist, famous for his…

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.