Artwork Page for The Prisons: A Wide Hall with Lanterns

Details / Information for The Prisons: A Wide Hall with Lanterns

The Prisons: A Wide Hall with Lanterns

1745–1750

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

(Italian, 1720–1778)
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Culture
Italy, 18th century
Medium
etching
Credit Line
Dudley P. Allen Fund 1941.26.14
Catalogue raisonné
Focillon 39 ; Hind 16
State
H. I/III
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print
A horizontally oriented black-and-white etching depicts a cavernous stone interior with massive arches and multiple staircases. Dense lines create deep shadows and bright light throughout the vaulted space. In the foreground, two dark figures stand at the lower left. Centrally, two figures walk away up stairs beneath hanging lanterns. On the right, a small figure stands near a barred gate. Intricate masonry and towering pillars emphasize the overwhelming scale of the architecture.

The Prisons: A Wide Hall with Lanterns

1745–1750

Giovanni Battista Piranesi

(Italian, 1720–1778)
Italy, 18th century

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