Veduta di Piazza Navona sopra le rovine del Circo Agonale (View of Piazza Navona above the ruins of the Circus Agonalis [Circus of Domitian])

This print is remarkable for the deep, velvety qualities of its black tones, which the artist has achieved without the loss of any detail. Piranesi made two etchings from either end of Piazza Navona in Rome, and his use of aerial perspective, where the buildings at the far end are so pale as to almost disappear, gives a vast, fantastical scale to this scene. His prints were hugely popular with travellers, as they allowed a demonstration of the wonders of Rome for those who could not afford the luxury of the Grand Tour. (A Connoisseur's Eye: Prints from the Tomory Collection, 2005)

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