Artwork
Prisoners on a Projecting Platform
Prisoners on a Projecting Platform is an ink print by the Baroque artist Giovanni Battista Piranesi. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Prisoners on a Projecting Platform is a print by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, created in 1750. It is part of his Carceri d’invenzione series, a collection of imaginary prison scenes.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a crowded, labyrinthine space with prisoners, staircases, and architectural elements. The scene conveys a sense of confinement and disorientation, with light and shadow accentuating the feeling of unease.
Technique & Style
Piranesi employed a range of techniques, including etching, engraving, sulphur tint or open bite, and burnishing, to achieve the print's complex, atmospheric effect. The use of lines and shading creates a sense of depth and tension.
Context
Piranesi's work reflects his background as a classical archaeologist and architect, with influences from ancient Roman architecture evident in the print's elaborate structures.
Artist & collection
Artist
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…
Prisoners on a Projecting Platform
Prisoners on a Projecting Platform
The Prisons: A Series of Galleries with Crane-Like Erection of Beams
Prisoners on a Projecting Platform, Plate 10
The Prisons: A Perspective of Colonnades with Zig-Zag Staircase
The Prisons: Round Arches Springing from a Square Column
The Prisons: A Wide Hall with Lanterns
The Prisons: A Perspective of Arches with a Smoking Fire
The Prisons: An Arched Chamber with Posts and Chains
The Prisons: A Perspective of Arches with a Smoking Fire in the Center
The Prisons: An Immense Interior with a Drawbridge