Giovanni Battista Piranesi (Italian, 1720-1778). "Veduta della Facciata di dietro della Basilica di S. Maria Maggiore" etching, ca. mid 18th to early 19th century. A beautiful etching of the view of the rear entrance of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the largest Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Rome - one of that city's four major basilica's by Piranesi - with the obelisk in the Piazza dell' Esquilino. This piece was created for Piranesi's "Vedute di Roma". Upon his arrival in Rome in 1740, Piranesi was instantly taken by Rome's ancient and contemporary architectural wonders and created etchings on large sheets for his beloved "Vedute di Roma" (Views of Rome). In total, Piranesi created 135 views of Rome, all impressive for their artistry as well as their large scale. Size of image: 14.75" L x 23.75" W (37.5 cm x 60.3 cm) Size of plate mark: 15.75" L x 24" W (40 cm x 61 cm) Size of sheet: 20" L x 29" W (50.8 cm x 73.7 cm)

Interestingly, Piranesi's prints were more than twice the size of those by his competitors, making them very desirable, especially to travelers who dreamed of seeing Rome in all its splendor!

The son of a stonemason and master builder, Piranesi would become a pioneer of the Neoclassical movement in the late 18th century as a master printmaker and antiquarian. Piranesi trained as an architect under his uncle Matto Lucchesi and Carlo Zucchi, and in 1740, left Venice for Rome where he studied etching with Giuseppe Vasi. While he had limited success winning architectural commissions, his training and passion for classical architecture served him well. Engravings and etchings provided Piranesi with a healthy livelihood, allowing him to turn one of his favorite pastimes, drawing Roman architecture, into a lucrative source of income. By 1747, Piranesi had begun the work for which he is best known, the Vedute di Roma (Views of Rome), and created plates for the series until his death in 1778. He created thousands of works that recorded the Roman monuments as well as those of the Renaissance which were impressive for not only their documentary value but also their immense artistry.

A Veduta della Facciata di dietro della Basilica di S.Maria Maggiore hammered for $3,073 at Bassenge (Berlin, Germany - December 1, 2005, lot #5473).

Provenance: private Lucille Lucas collection, Crested Butte, Colorado, USA

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#134252

Nice plate mark. Central vertical fold mark. Watermark at left center. Notation in pencil at upper right margin reads "Tubbs 1st Paris ed. / Watermark". Expected toning and stains as shown.