A marble tablet sculpted in relief with trophies and ornaments illustrating the magnificence of the ancient Romans. Etching by G.B. Piranesi, 1761.

  • Piranesi, Giovanni Battista, 1720-1778.
Date:
1761
Reference:
568205i
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Description

A marble tablet, cracked on both sides in the lower half, dented in the top margin, and held together by six metal clamps. A panel in the upper part is sculpted in relief with the lettering, while the lower part is sculpted with Roman motifs. In a circle in the centre a winged genius is carving the arms of Pope Clement XIII in a roundel; behind the arms is a statue of the sphinx. The circle is framed with an elaborate carved border including relief sculptures of two people dining, oak leaves, and a rosebud moulding which leaves the border at the bottom, traverses the fasces and trails to the edge of the marble

Publication/Creation

Romae [Rome] : [publisher not identified], 1761.

Physical description

1 print : etching ; image 43.1 x 28.3 cm

Lettering

Ioannis Baptistae Piranesii antiquariorum regiae societatis londinensis socii de Romanorum magnificentia et architectura. Piranesius archit. venetus sc.

References note

Henri Focillon, Giovanni Battista Piranesi: essai de catalogue raisonné, Paris 1918, p. 63, no. 927 ("Frontispice du texte. — Un médaillon entouré de trophées et dans lequel une victoire tient les armes pontificales. Au-dessus, une table de pierre sur laquelle est gravé le titre latin: … Sig. en bas à dr., dans la gr. H. 0.445. L. 0.285. Double fil. d'encad.")

Reference

Wellcome Collection 568205i

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