Sublime Ideas: Drawings by Giovanni Battista Piranesi

In a letter written near the end of his life, Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-78) explained that he left his native Venice because no patrons were willing to support “the sublimity of [his] ideas.” Residing in Rome, he became internationally famous as a printmaker and designer, among other numerous pursuits. While Piranesi’s notoriety stems from his etchings, he was also...