Giambattista Piranesi

Tables of the ruins of Rome

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, also known as Giambattista (Mogliano Veneto, 4 October 1720 – Rome, 9 November 1778), was an Italian engraver, architect and architectural theorist.

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In Rome, Piranesi developed a fascination with ancient ruins and classical architecture. He began to devote himself to engraving, producing a series of views of Rome and its antiquities. His most famous work is the series of engravings entitled "Le Vedute di Roma" (Views of Rome), which contributed greatly to the spread of interest in Roman antiquity in Europe.

Piranesi was known for his detailed and imaginative style, which often emphasized the grandeur and magnificence of ruins. During his career, he also produced a series of prison engravings, known as the "Carceri d'Invenzione", which showed intricate and imaginative architectural environments.