View of the large Trevi Fountain formerly called the Acqua Vergine, from Views of Rome

Art Historical Context

Step into 18th-century Rome with Battista Piranesi's captivating etching, *View of the large Tre Fountain formerly called the Ac Vergine*, from his *Views of Rome* series (ca. 1750–59). Piranesi, a masterful Venetian and architect, immortalized the Eternal City's architectural wonders through vedute—topographical views that blend precise documentation with dramatic flair. This print captures the newly completed Trevi Fountain, Rome's baroque masterpiece designed by Nicola Salvi and completed in 1762, at the terminus of the ancient Acqua Vergine aqueduct, highlighting its role as a vital water source and symbol of papal grandeur. Printed on heavy ivory laid paper (image: 38.1 × 54.9 cm), Piranesi's etching technique shines through intricate line work and deep tonal contrasts, evoking the fountain's sculptural drama amid bustling urban life. His vedutismo style not only preserved Rome's evolving landscape for Grand Tour travelers but also fueled the neoclassical revival, inspiring architects like John Soane. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings department, this work invites us to marvel at how Piranesi transformed paper into a portal to Rome's timeless splendor.

About the Artist

Giovanni Battista Piranesi · 1720–1778

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720–1778) was an Italian printmaker, architect, and antiquarian whose visionary etchings of Rome and imaginary prisons revolutionized architectural representation and profoundly influenced both Neoclassicism and Romanticism. Piranesi stands as one of the most important printmakers of the eighteenth century, fundamentally shaping European perceptions of ancient Rome an...