Interior of the Baths of Sallust (Interiora Balnearum Sallustianarum)
Not on Display
The Baths of Sallust, a part of the grander Gardens of Sallust, are a mystery. Their precise location is now unknown, so engravings like Piranesi’s preserve the structure’s presence in history. The dynamic rendering of decaying brick, broken statues, and shattered stone dominate the composition and dwarf the figures present in the foreground. The enormity of the structure illustrates the frailty of human creation and tells a story of the individuals stuck in a deteriorating society. Though frail, the ruins remain a mystical sight, and Piranesi’s linework is so detailed that viewers can almost imagine themselves standing there.
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Series:
The Campus Martius of Ancient Rome (Il Campo Marzio dell' Antica Roma), Plate 43
Artist/Maker:
Geography:
Europe; Italy
Culture:
Italian
Medium:
Etching on laid paper
Collection:
GW Collection
Accession Number:
CGA.68.26.534
Credit Line:
Gift from the Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art (Bequest of Frank B. Bristow)
Date:
1762;
Keywords:
Architecture; 18th Century; Captions; Classicism; Interior View; Ruin (built environment); Fantasy
Copyright:
Public domain
Object Type:
Print
Dimensions:
Platemark 29.85 H x 29.85 W cm (11 3/4 H x 11 3/4 W in)
Sheet/Page 40.64 H x 53.50 W cm (16 H x 21 1/16 W in)
Structure:
etching
Provenance:
Frank B. Bristow [1885-1968], Virginia, 1968; Bequest to the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1968-2018; Gift to the George Washington University, Washington, DC, 2018.
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Bibliography:
Arthur M. Hind (Author), Giovanni Battista Piranesi: A Critical Study, with a List of His Published Works and Detailed Catalogues of the Prisons and the Views of Rome, Da Capo Press, New York, 1967, ©1922
Henri Focillon (Author), Giovanni-Battista Piranesi: Essai de Catalogue Raisonné de Son Oeuvre, Librairie Renouard, Henri Laurens, Paris, 1918
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Exhibition History:
Piranesi's Rome: Views of the Eternal City, Luther W. Brady Art Gallery, Olivia Kohler-Maga, September 04, 2024 - December 07, 2024
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