External Perspectives: Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Architecture is like no other in time or place, at present. It occupies no real space in the ephemeral understanding of what architecture has once been. Architects are irrelevant in their pursuits and they have become increasingly separated from the people and groups that are most impacted by their work.

The true problem exists in extending from theory to actualization.

Background and Timeline on Piranesi in becoming “Designer”

• 1709 | Ruins of the ancient city of Herculaneum in Naples are discovered and inspected

• 1710 | Designs for the lavish theater in Cancelleria by Juvarra will inspire Piranesi

• October 4th 1720 | Piranesi is born.

• 1724 | Excavations at Hadrians Villa begin

• 1730 | Marco Ricci publishes Varia Marci Ricci pictoris prestantissimi experimenta which will inspire fantastical ideas in Piranesi

• 1735 | Piranesi is apprenticed by his uncle an architect and hydraulics engineer where he works and studies for a number of years with transfers to various other studios as he gains knowledge.

• 1740 | Piranesi moves to Rome as a draftsman in the retenue of a Venetian ambassador

• 1741 | Piranesi collaborates with French artists at the Academie de France in Rome creating a series of plates as guidebooks for the city.

• 1743 | Publishes his first independent production engaged with ideas of imaginary buildings having massive scale and monumentality.

• 1747 | Piranesi spent years traveling Italy. After visits to Naples and substantial stay in his hometown, Venice, he returns to Rome to produce his four plates of the Grotteschi.

• 1748 | Piranesi publishes his first independent set of vedute. Nolli unveils his definitive map of Rome. Piranesi contributed vignettes for a reduced version. Excavations at Pompeii begin.

• 1752 | Piranesi marries the daughter of a princes gardner; Angelica Pasquini

• 1753 | Laugier publishes L’Essai sur L'Architecture opening the Graeco-Roman ideal debate. Piranesi publishes a book providing novel examples of Roman decorations useful for painters, sculptors and architects.

• 1755 | Piranesi’s daughter is born, Laura, she will aid in the print shop printing her fathers works

• 1758 | Piranesi’s first son is born, Francesco, he will collaborate with his father in later works. Les ruines des plus beaux monuments de la Grece is published as the first evidence in support of Greek architectural superiority. Pope Clement XIII is elected and will become Piranesi’s chief patron.

• 1760 | Piranesi creates the winning design for Blackfriars bridge with significant impact from his archaeological background.

• 1761 | Piranesi dedicates a publication to Pope Clement XII in support of Roman cultural architectural origins as he joins the Graeco-Roman debate.

• 1762 | Piranesi publishes further architecture folios including his immensely influential Il Campo Marzio dell’Antica Roma highlighting the originality of Roman urban design.

• 1770 | Piranesi explores the Pompeii excavation sites.

• 1778 |Piranesi investigates and sketches the Greek Temples at Paestum with his son and fellow architects. Piranesi dies in November.

Piransesi never built a single building. He is renowned for his writing and fantastical drawings. Notably his map of Rome.

from Piranesi as Designer edited by Peter Eisenman