← Piranesi, Giovanni Battista

The image is an etching of a ruinous arch, slightly off-center, with intricate line work to depict its structure. The horizon is above the arch, showing vegetation and rugged terrain in the distance. The etching displays textures representing flora and stone, with shadows and depth created by dense hatching. The sky is light with airy cross-hatching. The color palette is black on off-white paper. Foliage and rough ground are detailed near the arch, and ancient stonework and rocky formations extend into the landscape beyond.

Arco di Pola in Istria

Piranesi, Giovanni Battista · Italian

1748

Medium
etching on laid paper
Classification
Portfolio
Period
1726 to 1750
Image size
5108 × 2539px

Description

The image is an etching of a ruinous arch, slightly off-center, with intricate line work to depict its structure. The horizon is above the arch, showing vegetation and rugged terrain in the distance. The etching displays textures representing flora and stone, with shadows and depth created by dense hatching. The sky is light with airy cross-hatching. The color palette is black on off-white paper. Foliage and rough ground are detailed near the arch, and ancient stonework and rocky formations extend into the landscape beyond.

Rights & Source

Open access image from the National Gallery of Art, released under its open access program. Metadata via the NGA Open Data Program (CC0).

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