Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-78) was born in Venice the son of a stonemason and educated as an architect. At the age of twenty he went to Rome as a draughtsman for the Venetian ambassador. He spent time learning from the leading printmakers of his day including Giuseppe Vasi and in 1745 settled there. He extended his abilities in etching to developing a unique style capable of displaying greater contrast between light and dark than previously possible. His ability at illustrating perspective was technically far more advanced than any of his contemporaries and with the backdrop of ancient Rome to work with, he flourished. Arguably his two most famous works are the ‘Vedute di Roma’ published 1748 78 and the ‘Vasi, Candelabri, Cippi, Sarcofagi’ in 1778. His total output is reputed at nearly a thousand plates, mostly folio in size. His works were a common acquisition of the English gentry on their Grand Tour and he personally knew many of influence including Robert Adam. He was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1757 and was knighted by the Pope in 1765. He is buried in S. Maria Aventina, Rome. Hind, A. M. “Giovanni Battista Piranesi: a critical study”, London, 1922.