Giovanni Battista Piranesi, “Sepolcro delle tre fratelli Curiati in Albano”, c. 1748

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720–1778)
“Sepolcro delle tre fratelli Curiati in Albano” (Tomb of the three Curiatii brothers in Albano), circa 1748

Technical Details & Condition:

Etching, engraving, and drypoint with plate tone on heavy wove paper, featuring generously wide margins. This impression was printed around 1870 from the original plate, bearing the seal of the Regia Calcografia (lettered “REGIA CALCOGRAFIA” and “Di ROMA,” with the central emblem of a crown surmounted by a cross) located on the lower-right corner.

This etching is plate 27 from the series “Alcune Vedute di Archi Trionfali ed altri monumenti inalzati da Romani parte di quali se veggono in Roma e parte per l'Italia” (Some Views of Triumphal Arches and other monuments erected by the Romans, some of which are in Rome and some elsewhere in Italy).

The impression is strong and well-printed, showing no signs of wear to the printing plate. The sheet is in near-pristine condition, free from tears, holes, folds, stains, or signs of handling.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 28.8 x 41.5 cm
• Platemark: 13.4 x 27.2 cm
• Image borderline: 13.3 x 26.8 cm

Plate Lettering:

• Upper right: “Tav. 27/ 374: b”
• Lower right: “SEPOLCRO DELLI TRE/ […?]16 FRATELLI CVRIATI/ […?] IN ALBANO/ PIRANESI F”

References:

• Wilton-Ely 131 (John Wilton-Ely, Giovanni Battista Piranesi: The Complete Etchings, vol. I, San Francisco, Alan Wofsy, 1994, p. 173, cat. no. 131)
• Focillon 69
• Hind 27

Price & Shipping:

AU$298 (approximately US$198.10 / €170.23 / £148.82), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in acquiring this somewhat eerie etching depicting figures working around an open sarcophagus—interestingly, although the title attributes the tomb to the legendary Roman Curiatii brothers at Albano, the actual location of their defeat by the Horatii was near the Fossa Cluilia, about five miles from Rome—please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I am happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless purchase.

This print has been sold