Art Institute of Chicago

Remains of a room belonging to the Praetorian Fort at Hadrian's Villa, Tivoli, from Views of Rome

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (Italian, 1720-1778)

Date

1774, published 1800–07

Medium

Etching on heavy ivory laid paper

Culture

Italy

Department

Prints and Drawings

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

In this print published by Piranesi’s sons, the artist depicted the remnants of the Roman Emperor Hadrian’s 2nd-century villa at Tivoli, near Rome. Described by Piranesi as a room belonging to the barracks of the Praetorian Guard, the so-called Hall of the Philosophers is now thought to have been a library used for important council meetings. The apsidal chamber was originally embellished with purple porphyry stone, a coffered ceiling, and imperial sculpture in the niches. Etchings like this would have been popular as souvenirs for tourists visiting Rome as part of the Grand Tour in the late 18th century.

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