Italy - Rome // Ghetto of Rome; Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720–1778) - Veduta interna dell’Atrio del Portico di Ottavia - 1751-1760

View of the interior of the atrium of the Portico of Octavia, one of the most evocative archaeological complexes of the ancient Roman quarter of Pescheria. Piranesi depicts the imposing ancient structures in their integration with the later buildings, returning an image of eighteenth-century Rome in which monumental ruins and daily life coexist.

The Corinthian columns, the architraves and the large arches define a composition of notable depth of perspective. Through the central opening the gaze continues toward the street and the stalls of the fish market, animated by numerous figures. In the foreground, characters in conversation, architectural fragments and materials resting against the walls enrich the scene. The dense hatching and the contrasts between illuminated and shadowed areas emphasize the texture of the surfaces and the monumentality of the architecture.

The title is inscribed in the lower margin, accompanied by a numbered legend that illustrates the elements of the complex: the inner frontispieces, the supporting arch and the columns partially embedded in the walls.

The engraving belongs to the Vedute di Roma, the famous series to which Piranesi worked for much of his career. These images, devoted as much to ancient monuments as to the modern city, contributed profoundly to the dissemination of knowledge and the fascination of Rome among travelers, collectors and European artists.

State of the plate: in the photographs the editorial address Bouchard e Gravier is not detectable. This feature is compatible with the first state of six
State of preservation: browned paper, with more pronounced browning along the margins and uneven tonalities of the sheet. Margins present and the plate impression visible. For the overall appearance and the conservation details, refer to the photographs.

Bibliography: Hind 59; Focillon 816; Wilton-Ely 167.