The same vase as in the preceding etching, seen in perspective 1769 - 1778

Curator: Here we have Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s engraving, “The same vase as in the preceding etching, seen in perspective,” dating from between 1769 and 1778. It's part of the collection at the SMK, Statens Museum for Kunst. Editor: What immediately strikes me is the incredible intricacy—the almost obsessive detailing in every line. The tonality ranges subtly, emphasizing depth and the complexity of forms. Curator: Absolutely. Piranesi was deeply engaged with both the grandeur of ancient Rome and the political implications of its visual language. His work contributed to Neoclassicism, offering both idealized and critical views of power. This vase, ostensibly an object of beauty, becomes a site for examining historical ambition. Editor: And what about the composition? The perspective is so exactingly rendered. Notice how the vase swells, tapers, and blossoms with detail—the sinuous curves, the textures almost palpable—it speaks of Baroque sensibilities despite its Neoclassical leaning. Curator: Precisely! The vase becomes a kind of architectural monument, imbued with symbolic weight. Details, such as the figures adorning the handles, reflect the prevalent artistic interests of the period and also reinforce aristocratic associations of patronage and taste. It highlights the way visual imagery actively constructed narratives of cultural and political ascendancy. Editor: The ornamental motifs also invite analysis, grapes and vegetation that surround the vase are symbols of opulence. There's almost an overwhelming sense of spectacle within the detail. Piranesi, a skilled draftsman. invites us to follow him line by line and trace it. Curator: In the broader context of Piranesi’s body of work, which critiques power structures, this grandiosity could serve to glorify or perhaps ironically question the foundations upon which social hierarchies were established. The vase embodies the tension of its historical moment. Editor: Viewing it formally, I think this engraving offers an incredible testament to detail and skill in mark making. Curator: It’s amazing how many cultural contexts one finds to view here.