Imaginary Prison (etching) – Homage to Piranesi, born #OnThisDay (4 October 1720)

Italian Classical archaeologist, architect, and artist – Giovanni Battista (Giambattista) Piranesi, also simply known as 𝗣𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗶 – was born #OnThisDay (October 4) in 1720.

An amazing etching artist, Piranesi is famous for his depictions of Rome and of the fictitious and atmospheric “Imaginary Prisons” (Le Carceri d’Invenzione) – enormous subterranean vaults with seemingly endless staircases, blocked passages, and mighty machines.

Piranesi (4 October 1720 – 9 November 1778) started the series of 16 prison etchings in 1745. The prints were first published in 1750 (14 etchings, untitled and unnumbered, with a sketch-like look). A decade later, Piranesi reworked all etchings for a second publishing, in 1761 (this time he added two new etchings and changed the overall final aspect of all initial drawings).