Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778)
Veduta del prospetto principale della Colonna Trajana; Veduta del prospetto principale della Colonna Antonina (Wilton-Ely 687,708; Ficacci 703,724)
Two large engravings, 1774-79, each on six joined sheets of laid paper, framed

Trajana sheet 2878 x 475mm. (113 3/8 x 18 3/4in.);
Antonina sheet 2607 x 470mm. 102 5/8 x 18 1/2in.) (2)
Footnotes
Piranesi arrived in Rome in 1740 and after studying etching and engraving with Giuseppe Vasi and Carlo Zucchi, he became one of the most sought-after artists to commission for views of the city. As the son of a stone mason and as a trained architect himself, Piranesi was in an excellent position to appreciate and convey the majesty of these columns.

These two imposing plates were produced for the series ​Trofeo o sia Magnifica Colonna Coclide, depicting the colossal relief columns of Rome the columns of Trajan, Antonine (of Marcus Aurelius) and Antoninus and Faustina.

Trajan's Column is the last remaining intact monument in the Trajan Forum in Rome, completed in 113 AD. It is celebrated for its spiral bas-relief sculptures which commemorate the emperor's victory in the Dacian Wars (Romania). After his death, Trajan's ashes were interred in the pedestal. There was originally a statue of Trajan on top but this was replaced by a statue of St Peter.

The Antonine Column was commissioned by Marcus Aurelius's son Commodus to commemorate his father's triumph over the Germanic Marcomanni tribe in 176 AD and has a similar bas-relief decoration. It was erected in the Piazza Colonna in 193 AD and was originally topped with a statue of Marcus Aurelius, which was replaced with a statue of St Paul.
This lot is subject to the following lot symbols TP
TP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.

In addition to the catalogue entry

>BR/>
Colonna Trajano



- skilful restoration at the sheet edges and in places where the sheets are joined, with thin strips of japan paper along each edge recto


- a few very small paper fibres sitting on top of the image in places three areas of the lower rim of the column, one in the centre of the sphere, one at the right of the upper rim


- a few pale brown stains at the sheet edges and in the centre of the column


- a small filled-in hole at the centre of the lower edge of the plinth at the bottom of the image; a small hole in the surface to left of the left figure supporting the sphere and at the upper right sheet edge


- a few pale scattered fox marks and some traces of ink at the upper sheet edge


- pale time staining




Colonna Antonina



- skilful restoration at the sheet edges and in places where the sheets are joined, with thin strips of japan paper along each edge recto


- a very small paper loss at the left column edge between the numbers 24 and 29; three tiny areas of paper loss in the join to the left of column near the number 12, with a partial repair


- a 4 x 2cm tapered paper and ink loss at the centre of the left column edge just below the number 46, made-up with pen & ink additions


- a tiny paper loss in the surface at the upper left sheet corner and to the lower left edge of the plinth at the top of the column


- a few pale brown stains at the sheet edges


- a few pale scattered fox marks; a few pale grey stains to lower left edge


- pale time staining




Unexamined out of the frames.