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

Wednesday, 28 January 2026

Giovanni Battista Piranesi & Francesco Piranesi, “Rear View of the Remains of the Pronaos of the Temple of Neptune …”, 1778

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720–1778), in collaboration with his son, Francesco Piranesi (1758–1810)

“Rear View of the Remains of the Pronaos of the Temple of Neptune, Drawn in the Two Preceding Plates” or “Vue des Restes du Derrière du Pronaos du Temple de Neptune Dessiné dans les Deux Planches Précédentes”, 1778

Regarding the contributions made by both printmakers in the execution of the series, Wilton-Ely (1994) notes: “…the architecture is clearly by Giambattista’s hand, as are the vegetation and fragments. The figure, on the other hand, are somewhat coarse, being awkwardly drawn in a broad outline and rather similar to those in Francesco’s later etched works.” (p. 777)

Technical Details & Condition:
Etching is on heavy wove paper with wide margins, bearing the blind-stamp of the “Regia Calcografia” of 1870, featuring the central emblem of the Savoy shield surmounted by the Royal Crown of Italy. It is plate XIV (14) from the series Différentes vues de quelques Restes de trois grands Edifices qui subsistent encore dans le milieu de l'ancienne Ville de Pesto autrement Posidonia, which translates to Different views of some of the remains of three great edifices that still exist at the centre of the ancient city of Pesto, or Posidonia (Paestum), in Lucania.

The impression is richly inked and nearly faultlessly printed. There are minor marks and stains in the margins; otherwise, the sheet remains in excellent condition for its large size, free of tears, holes, folds, abrasions, or significant stains.

Dimensions:
• Sheet: 59 x 76.2 cm
• Platemark: 49.8 x 67.5 cm
• Image Borderline: 46.8 x 66.9 cm

Plate Lettering:
• Upper left: “Planche XIV.”
• Upper right: “675”
• Within the image borderline: indexed with alphabetical letters from “A” to “D”
• Upper right: “675”
• Lower centre: “Vue des restes du derriere du Pronaos du Temple de Neptune desiné dans les deux planches précédentes. A Pilastre/ rendu d’une proportion plus élégante que celui B. L’on trouve à côte d’eux, les restes C des Murs internes de la/ Celle. D Restes de deux rangs de Colonnes que étoient situées dan la Celle du Temple. Cav. Piranesi F.”

Translation:
“View of the remains of the rear of the Pronaos of the Temple of Neptune depicted in the two preceding plates. A. Pilaster/ rendered in a more elegant proportion than that B. Next to them are the remains C of the internal walls of the/ Cell. D. Remains of two rows of columns that were located in the Cell of the Temple. Cav. Piranesi F.”

References:
• Wilton-Ely 732 (John Wilton-Ely, Giovanni Battista Piranesi: The Complete Etchings, vol. I, 1994, San Francisco, Alan Wofsy, p. 794, cat. no. 731)
• British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1886-1124-184
• Royal Academy: https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/work-of-art/vue-des-restes-du-derriere-du-pronaos-du-temple-de-neptune-2

Price & Shipping:
AU$763 (approximately US$535.36 / €445.53 / £387.25), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in acquiring this strikingly powerful and impressively large etching, please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I will be happy to send a PayPal invoice to facilitate an easy purchase.