George Glazer Gallery - Antique Prints - Rossini's Roman Antiquities

George Glazer Gallery, Antiques, Antiquarian Globes, Maps and Prints, New York City

Views of Ancient Roman Architecture
Rossini's Roman Antiquities

Unici avanzi dei Portici di Filippo – à S. Maria in Cacaberis T. 97
[The Only Remains of the Portici of Filippo -- at St. Maria in Cacaberis]

Veduta dell’ Interno del Tempio di Claudio, in oggi S. Stefano Rotondo, sul Monte Celio T. 91
[View of the Interior of the Temple of Claudio, today St. Stephen’s Rotondo, on Monte Celio]

Altra Raccolta di Frammenti trovati al Tusculo
[Other Collections of Fragments Found at Tusculo]

Veduta della Fonte, e delle Spelonche d'Egeria – fuori di Porta Capena T. 35
[View of the Fount, and of the Caverns of Egeria -- Outside of the Porta Capena]

Avansi della Curia Ostilla Sul Monte Celio T. 89
[Remains of the Curia Hostillia on Monte Celio (published 1821)]

Colonna dell'Imperatore Foca nel Foro Romano T. 66
[Column of the Emperor Foca in the Roman Forum]

Interno del Colosseo scavato nel 1813, e ricoperto nel 1814 T. 80
[Interior of the Colosseum Excavated in 1813, and Recovered in 1814 (published 1820)]


Veduta degl'Avanzi della Rupe Tarpeja [View of the ruins of the Tarpean cliffs, with detail right (published 1822)]

Luigi Rossini (1790 – 1857) (artist and engraver)
from Le Antichita Romane [Roman Antiquities]
Presso l'autore [Luigi Rossini], Rome: 1819-23
Black and white etchings
12 x 15 inches to 15.75 x 23.75 inches, plate marks various sizes
19.75 x 26 inches to 29.5 x 21.5 inches, overall various sizes
$450 to $750 each
Prices on Request

Luigi Rossini published his Le Antichita Romane between 1819 and 1823 in the later neoclassical period of the 19th century, 101 plates depicting views of ancient Rome. Rossini took his initial inspiration from the famous views of Giovanni Battista Piranesi, published in works such as Vedute di Roma. Like Piranesi's work, Rossini’s prints frequently served as Grand Tour souvenirs, and provided influential source material for European architects and designers interested in classical motifs. Rossini and Piranesi’s depictions remain important records of the great architecture of Rome, much of which was subsequently destroyed. We also offer a large selection of Piranesi views and prints.

Luigi Rossini was an architect, painter and watercolorist. Born in Ravenna, as a young man he went to Bologna where he studied art and architecture at the academy and won the prize of the Regno Italico for Architecture. He arrived in Rome around the end of 1813 and beginning of 1814, but after meeting with repeated failures in his attempts to gain architectural commissions decided to follow in the footsteps of Piranesi and began work on a series of views of Rome. He published over 1,000 plates in various collections: Raccolta di Cinquanta Principali Vedute (1818-19), Le Antichità Romane... (1819-23), Le Antichità dei Contorni di Roma... (1824-26), I Sette Colli di Roma (1827-29), I Monamenti Più Interessanti di Roma... (1828-30), Le Porte e le Mura del Recinto di Roma (1829), Gli Archi Trionfali Onorari e Funebri degli Antichi Romani... (1836), Scenografia degl'interni delle più belle chiese e basiliche antiche di Roma (1839-43) and Scenografia di Roma Moderna che Comprende... (1848-50). He faithfully recorded the complex archaeological scenes, while his meticulous attention to the detailed play of light and shadow gives his work a lyricism and expressiveness.

Condition: Generally very good, with the usual light overall toning, handing, faint scattered foxing, and edge wear. Few short tears to outer margins, professional restored, easily matted out.

References:

“Image Base.” Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. http://www.famsf.org/ (9 November 2004).

“Luigi Rossini.” Casali. http://www.casali.com/autori/rossini.htm (9 November 2004).