Piranesi: Extraordinary Fellow, Madman, Sublime Dreamer, Inventive Genius

Giovanni Battista Piranesi was an artist like no other. Working as an architect, printmaker, polemicist, archaeologist, interior designer, and art dealer, he created works that even today define our notions of Ancient and Modern Rome, and which helped establish a taste for Neoclassical design that spread across Europe. His powers of invention were prodigious, and his influence enormous—maddeningly so for some of his contemporaries.This lecture, given by Pieter Broucke,  will survey Piranesi’s fantastic inventions, exploring the process of their creation and their lasting legacy. 

Pieter Broucke is Associate Dean for the Arts, Professor of History of Art & Architectural Studies, and Associate Curator, Ancient Art at Middlebury College.