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a review at The Art Institute of California- LA 1250 31st Street Los Angeles, CA fen-om | edu, at www.fen-om.com/edu As a preliminary step to reviewing the second assignment in this course (‘Piranesi Mural’), we would like to provide some preliminary insight into the work of GB Piranesi. Also, we have compiled some images of contemporary projects influenced by Piranesi’s art. In the 18th Century, in Europe, it was popular amongst artists to catalog his- torical origins. Monuments, landmarks, ruins, all these provided inpiration to individuals such as Giovanni Battista Piranesi (At that time in history, people were just beginning to dig up cities of past civilizations; these cities had either been long abandoned or, in the case of Rome, built over). Piranesi went one step further than mere cataloguing, however, by inventing views of ancient ruins and modern Roman structures (such as the foundation of the Castel Sant’Angelo, which would never otherwise be visible, as they were submerged under the Tiber River). This led to the series of etchings of fan- tastic prison interiors (‘Carceri’). Piranesi’s highly original designs and ideas influenced many artists and literary figures during and beyond his lifetime. Neo-classical designers and early Romantic writers were quick to recognize his eclectic vision. Today, his ‘Prison’ work, with its multiple layers and superimposed elements, lends itself particularly well to the representation of ‘contemporary society’ (complexity, hypermedia, multi-tasking, etc.). In these, imagination intercedes as much as archaeology. Recall that Piranesi’s period also marked the begin- ning of the Industrial Revolution (including all of the attending fears regard- ing machines); this is one reason why the ‘Prison’ fantasies tend somewhat towards darkness and gloom, and employ mechanical devices as append- ages to traditional ruins. In Piranesi’s etchings, everything seems to be combined with its opposite, which is in part what yields such intensity in the work (light with dark, rigorous perspectives and confusing/oblique overlays, print-ready and hand-crafted, soft and hard elements, endless growth and despair…). Of these the play of ‘chiaroscuro’ won for him the name of “the Rembrandt of architecture”, and the distortion of perspective helped artistic representation evolve, according to the teachings of Ferdinando Bibiena [‘Scenes seen at an angle’]; this also opened up new vistas in the world of fantasy architecture, breaking loose from practical Advanced Image manipulation instructor: Rouben Mohiuddin Reviewers: Erin Sharp, Sandro Alberti Waterworks at Albano.
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Re-invented Prisons

Mar 13, 2016

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Sandro Alberti

This is a brief review of Piranesi's Prigioni, exemplary of 3d representation. Part of a review of student work, the document also shows ways in which these masterpieces could themselves be re-presented. To see the final student designs, read the document titled 'Re-invented Prisons (final designs)'.
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Page 1: Re-invented Prisons

a review atThe Art Institute of California- LA

1250 31st StreetLos Angeles, CA

fen-om | edu, at www.fen-om.com/edu

As a preliminary step to reviewing the second assignment in this course (‘Piranesi Mural’), we would like to provide some preliminary insight into the work of GB Piranesi. Also, we have compiled some images of contemporary projects influenced by Piranesi’s art.

In the 18th Century, in Europe, it was popular amongst artists to catalog his-torical origins. Monuments, landmarks, ruins, all these provided inpiration to individuals such as Giovanni Battista Piranesi (At that time in history, people were just beginning to dig up cities of past civilizations; these cities had either been long abandoned or, in the case of Rome, built over). Piranesi went one step further than mere cataloguing, however, by inventing views of ancient ruins and modern Roman structures (such as the foundation of the Castel Sant’Angelo, which would never otherwise be visible, as they were submerged under the Tiber River). This led to the series of etchings of fan-tastic prison interiors (‘Carceri’). Piranesi’s highly original designs and ideas influenced many artists and literary figures during and beyond his lifetime. Neo-classical designers and early Romantic writers were quick to recognize his eclectic vision.

Today, his ‘Prison’ work, with its multiple layers and superimposed elements, lends itself particularly well to the representation of ‘contemporary society’ (complexity, hypermedia, multi-tasking, etc.). In these, imagination intercedes as much as archaeology. Recall that Piranesi’s period also marked the begin-ning of the Industrial Revolution (including all of the attending fears regard-ing machines); this is one reason why the ‘Prison’ fantasies tend somewhat towards darkness and gloom, and employ mechanical devices as append-ages to traditional ruins.

In Piranesi’s etchings, everything seems to be combined with its opposite, which is in part what yields such intensity in the work (light with dark, rigorous perspectives and confusing/oblique overlays, print-ready and hand-crafted, soft and hard elements, endless growth and despair…). Of these the play of ‘chiaroscuro’ won for him the name of “the Rembrandt of architecture”, and the

distortion of perspective helped artistic representation evolve, according to the teachings of Ferdinando Bibiena [‘Scenes seen at an angle’]; this also opened up new vistas in the world of fantasy architecture, breaking loose from practical

Advanced Image manipulationinstructor: Rouben Mohiuddin

Reviewers:Erin Sharp, Sandro Alberti

Waterworks at Albano.

Page 2: Re-invented Prisons

requirements in order to explore the imagi-nation.

Technically, Piranesi also presents some advances and innovations. He was very precise with the quantities of acid neces-sary to produce his etchings (exposing his plates multiple times in order to yield vari-ous tones), and played with varnish effects as well. His elaborate designs are produced primarily with textures of parallel lines. He was fond of peopling his ruins with Callot-like figures, and, like Callot, makes great use of the swelling line. Over time, some of his pieces would evolve (ie a decade after their first appearance in about 1745, Pira-nesi returned to the Prisons, darkening them both literally and figuratively).

Views of antiquity.

Page 3: Re-invented Prisons

Foundations at Castel Sant’ Angelo.

Imaginary prisons.

Page 4: Re-invented Prisons

The subject of the work.

At home in the ruin.

Palatial interior.

Contemporary projects.

Page 5: Re-invented Prisons

More contemporary projects.