Hadrian's Villa: The Canopus

Series TitleThe Views of Rome

Artist Giovanni Battista Piranesi (Italian, 1720-1778)

Datemid-18th century

MediumEtching

DimensionsPlate: 17 15/16 × 23 1/16 inches (45.56 × 58.58 cm)

Credit LinePurchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust

Object number32-69/57

On View

Not on view

Collections

Prints

Terms

Gallery Label

Hadrian’s villa outside Rome was built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a country house retreat. Its exotic architecture, like the building shown here dedicated to the god Canopus, was influenced by buildings that Hadrian had seen in the Eastern Roman Empire. The massive chunks of masonry in the foreground vividly convey an impression of fallen grandeur.

Information about a particular artwork or image, including provenance information, is based upon historic information and may not be currently accurate or complete. Research on artwork and images is an ongoing process, and the information about a particular artwork or image may not reflect the most current information available to the Museum. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about a particular artwork or image, please e-mail provenance@nelson-atkins.org.