Giovanni Battista Piranesi

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My Hearth Will Go On
This print comes from Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s Diverse maniere d’adornare I cammini ed ogni altra parte degli edifizi, published in 1769. Piranesi created designs inspired by ancient Roman aesthetic principles, which adopted elements of Egyptian, Grecian, and Etruscan motifs until fully absorbing them as their own. In this work particularly, Piranesi included motifs straight from...
Contemporary Architecture and the Legacy of Piranesi
Some of the most significant architects of our era have cited designer and architect Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s influence on their work. Learn how architects Peter Eisenman, Founder and Principal, Eisenman Architects; Michael Graves, Founder and Principal, Michael Graves & Associates; and Robert Venturi, Principal of Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates are inspired by Piranesi’s eclectic...
Groundbreaking – The Past as Inspiration
Giovanni Battista Piranesi, an eighteenth-century designer of architecture, elaborate Interiors and exquisite furnishings, boldly combined historical elements to create innovative designs that still resonate today. Cooper-Hewitt invites a panel of designers to discuss how, like Piranesi, their imaginative and often irreverent use of historical motifs invigorates contemporary design. This panel features: Anna Sui, Fashion Designer;...
Sheer Invention
Piranesi’s originality lay in his eclecticism. Pulling together influences from Egyptian, Etruscan, Ancient Roman, and Greek designs, Piranesi presented a hybrid design system that was rooted in his commitment to the stature and importance of the Roman design heritage. From this starting point, the architectural elements move from historical recreations to articulated fantasy. While his...