Prints and Principles

Most of the recent posts give details about individual prints and earlier posts discuss some of the subtle principles guiding artists in making images meaningful and memorable. For prints that are unsold, click "Items still available for sale" below. All other prints are no longer available. My contact email is oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com and my Instagram username is @printsandprinciples. I have created a separate blog to show my own work: https://printsandprinciplesjamesbrown.blogspot.com

Thursday, 21 August 2025

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, “Remains of the Aqueduct of Nero”, 1775

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720–1778)

“Remains of the Aqueduct of Nero” (aka “Avanzi degl' Aquedotti Neroniani”), 1775, plate 48 from the series of 135 plates, “Vedute di Roma” (Views of Rome), with the blind-stamp of the “Regia Calcografia” of 1870, featuring the central emblem of a crown surmounted by a cross.

Etching on heavy cream wove paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 55.2 x 76.7cm; (plate) 49.1 x 71.5cm; (image borderline) 48.5 x 70.8cm.

Numbered and lettered in plate: (upper right) “48/ 732”; (in cartouche at lower centre) “Avanzi degl' Aquedotti Neroniani che/ si volevano distruggere per la loro/ vecchiezza, ma per ordine di N'ro. Sig.^re/ Papa Clemente XIV. sono restati in piedi./ 8. 2. Scala Santa 48.” (transl. “Remains of the Aqueduct of Nero which were to be destroyed on account of their age but remained standing by order of Pope Clement XIV”); (below the image borderline at left) “Cavalier Piranesi F[ecit].”

Blind-stamped: (lower right corner) “REGIA CALLIGRAFIA/ [crown]/ DI ROMA”.

State iv (of iv) with the number 732 at the upper right.

Wilton-Ely 251 (John Wilton-Ely 1994, “Giovanni Battista Piranesi: The Complete Etchings”, vol. I, San Francisco, Alan Wofsy, p. 294, cat. no. 251); Hind 118; Focillon 850

Wellin Museum of Art and RISD offer descriptions of this print: https://emuseum-2022.hamilton.edu/objects/1075/avanzi-degl-aquedotti-neroniani-che-si-volevano-distruggere; https://risdmuseum.org/art-design/collection/avanzi-degl-aquedotti-neroniani-chi-si-velevano-distruggere-piedi-remains.

Condition: a richly inked and strong impression laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. Beyond closed tears and minor stains in the margin, the sheet is in an excellent condition for its large size and age with no holes, folds or significant stains.

I am selling this breathtakingly strong and huge etching by Piranesi for the total cost of AU$664 (approximately US$426.79, EUR 366.74 or GBP 317.37). This price includes worldwide express postage and handling. Please note that any applicable import duties or taxes imposed by the destination country are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in purchasing this spectacular view of a section of Nero’s Aqueduct (aka the Celimontano Aqueduct) in Rome, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold