Pier table, c. 1768
Giovanni Battista Piranesiexpand_more
Oak, limewood, marble, giltexpand_more
The Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fundexpand_more 64.70
On View in Gallery 307expand_more
This is one of the few pieces of Giovanni Piranesi’s furniture to survive. The versatile Piranesi was a printmaker, archaeologist, architect, and designer. His numerous etchings of Roman ruins contributed greatly to 18th-century Europe’s interest in the ancient world. In 1769 he published Diverse Manners of Ornamenting Chimneys and All Other Parts of Houses, a collection of imaginative designs for clocks, vases, chimneypieces, and even coaches.
This table is one of a pair made for the Roman state apartments of a nephew of Pope Clement XIII. Piranesi drew from several ancient designs. He modeled the legs—carved like winged chimeras (mythological monsters, part lion, part goat)—after bronze tripods found at the ruined cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The ox skulls are based on Roman funerary motifs.
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Details
- Title
- Pier table
- Artist Life
- Italian, 1720–1778
- Role
- Designer
- Accession Number
- 64.70
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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