{"product_id":"title-plate-carceri-dinvenzione-giovanni-battista-piranesi","title":"Title Plate (Carceri d'Invenzione) - Giovanni Battista Piranesi","description":"\u003cp\u003eA dramatic title plate from Giovanni Battista Piranesi's 'Carceri d'Invenzione', featuring an atmospheric, labyrinthine architectural fantasy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis etching serves as the title plate for the second edition of Giovanni Battista Piranesi's 'Carceri d'Invenzione' (Imaginary Prisons). First published in the 1740s, the series underwent significant revision by the artist around 1761. In this state, Piranesi added darker, more atmospheric shading and increased the density of the architectural elements to heighten the sense of claustrophobia and scale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition presents a cavernous, impossible space defined by massive stone blocks, heavy iron chains, and precarious wooden scaffolding. The title of the series is carved directly into a central stone pier, anchoring the viewer within this labyrinthine environment. Piranesi employs a complex system of cross-hatching to create deep shadows, which contrast with the stark, illuminated surfaces of the masonry. The perspective is intentionally disorienting, with staircases leading to nowhere and bridges spanning unseen voids.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike his archaeological studies of Roman ruins, these prints represent a departure into pure invention. Piranesi draws upon his training as an architect to construct spaces that defy physical logic. The presence of torture implements and chains adds a layer of psychological tension to the scene. The work demonstrates his mastery of the etching needle, particularly in his ability to render varied textures, from the rough, porous surface of stone to the cold, reflective quality of metal. This print remains a primary example of 18th-century printmaking, showing the transition from the structured order of the Baroque to the more dramatic, subjective explorations of the late Enlightenment period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/en-nz\/products\/jeune-moine-a-la-grecque-benigno-bossi\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eJeune Moine a la Grecque by Benigno Bossi\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/en-nz\/products\/tomb-with-sphinxes-and-an-owl-louis-jean-desprez\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eTomb with Sphinxes and an Owl by Louis Jean Desprez\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/en-nz\/collections\/giovanni-battista-piranesi\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#2a555a;border:1px solid #2a555a;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#ffffff;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eMore by Giovanni Battista Piranesi →\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Giovanni Battista Piranesi","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59476481016143,"sku":null,"price":220.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59476481081679,"sku":null,"price":220.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59476481179983,"sku":null,"price":290.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59476481212751,"sku":null,"price":450.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59476481278287,"sku":null,"price":450.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Title-Plate-Carceri-d-Invenzione-_Poster_CompositorV1_1794459250752.jpg?v=1794459432","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/en-nz\/products\/title-plate-carceri-dinvenzione-giovanni-battista-piranesi","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}