Giovanni Battista Piranesi

(1720-1778)

Prisoners on a projecting platform, from Carceri d'Invenzione

Footnotes

The Carceri d'Invenzione was first produced in 1749 as a series of 14 etchings. The series is unusual within Piranesi's oeuvre in that these etchings of dark, mysterious interiors are not representations of actual places, unlike his scenes of Vedute di Roma, and he never explained their origin, nor their meaning. As with his Roman views, they show his fascination with architecture and his background in engineering and stage design, with dramatic use of space and chiaroscuro. It is probable that at this stage in his career he wished to diverge from his usual compositions and take the opportunity to experiment, in order to demonstrate his skill and innovation to prospective new clients. He certainly achieved this in the Carceri series with imaginative compositions and mastery of several techniques, including etching, engraving, sulphur tint, open bite and burnishing.

Prisoners on a Projecting Platform is an impression from the First Edition. These prints tend to have a more sketchy quality than the later editions, conveying a sense of freedom and lightness of touch in their execution and offering the viewer an insight into the artist's working process. Careful inking and wiping of the plate emphasizes the fine detail which can be seen in this impression. Later states were reworked, including the addition of ink dabbing beneath the platform, which the artist added with his fingers. This technique may have been used to disguise the slight foul biting that appears there and to increase the contrast, but it could also have the effect of obscuring some lines and giving an uneven appearance to the light and shade. No such obscurity veils the finely etched details here.

This plate stands apart as it is the only one in the series which contains a substantial group of figures; prisoners who are bound and contorted, referencing the suffering that you might expect to see in these dungeons and sparking the viewer's imagination. The image is composed to lead your eye to this group, framed with monumental stone arches and seen from a low viewpoint, devices which are employed in all the plates in the series.

Piranesi's experimental approach to this series, producing the First Edition of finely etched plates, then subsequently reworking the images in various stages, allowed him to develop his technique and reveal his virtuosity. This fine example of an early First Edition etching allows us a glimpse into Piranesi's working methods, his understanding of architecture, his imagination, his draughtsmanship and ultimately his pride in his craft.



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