S. Giovanni in Laterano view

Veduta della Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, is an original etching realized by Giovanni Battista Piranesi in 1749.   

S. Giovanni in Laterano with palace and Scala Santa on the right.

Very precious and rare artwork on its first edition.

Title engraved in the lower margin in italian language. Signed, lower right margin, Piranesi del. Scol.  

III. Address and price : Autore, palazzo Tomati. Paoli 2 mezzo.

76 x 92 cm with frame. 

Reference : Cat. Focillon , Cat. Hind pag. 40, n. 8  - Plate VI. 

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, also known as Giambattista, was a Venetian architect, born in Mogliano Veneto on 4 October 1720 and died in Rome on 9 November 1778. Known as an engraver, an architect was a theorist of architecture on the Italian scene.

In 1748 Piranesi began the production of the famous "Views of Rome" collected in one volume. This first series was followed by a second called "Antichità Romane" in 1756 in four volumes.

In 1740 Piranesi made his first trip to Rome where he was immediately fascinated by the Roman landscapes and began an apprenticeship at the biottega of Domenico and Giuseppe Valeriani and later entered the studio of Giuseppe Vasi, a Sicilian landscape. 

painter who taught him the techniques of engraving in etching. He later had a clash of opinions with the master with whom he soon broke off his collaboration and in 1743 he printed his first etching work, entitled First part of Architecture and Perspectives.