Giovanni Battista Piranesi - Arco di Costantino in Roma.

A Collection Of Architecture Prints by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, 1748 - 1751

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, famous for his etchings of Rome and of fictitious and atmospheric "prisons" (Le Carceri d'Invenzione), was born in Veneto, the Republic of Venice in a family of stonemasons and architects. He was apprenticed of his uncle, who was a leading architect in Magistrato delle Acque, the state organization responsible for engineering and restoring historical buildings. From 1740, he worked in Rome as a draughtsman for Marco Foscarini, the Venetian ambassador. He worked with pupils of the French Academy in Rome to produce a series of vedute (views) of the city. From 1743 to 1747 he was back in Venice where he often visited Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. In 1748–1774, back in Rome, he created a series of vedute of the city which established his fame. In 1761 he became a member of the Accademia di San Luca and opened a printing facility of his own. He died in Rome in 1778, and was buried in the church he had helped restore, Santa Maria del Priorato. His tomb was designed by Giuseppi Angelini.

Printmaking in woodcut and engraving came to Northern Italy within a few decades of their invention north of the Alps. Engraving probably came first to Florence in the 1440s, the goldsmith Maso Finiguerra (1426–64) used the technique. Italian engraving caught the very early Renaissance, 1460–1490. Print copying was a widely accepted practice, as well as copying of paintings viewed as images in their own right.

The arch was commissioned by the Roman Senate to commemorate Constantine's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in AD 312. Arch of Constantine is an important monument that reflects the political and military achievements of Constantine the Great, who played a significant role in the Roman Empire's transition to Christianity. Constantine's victory at the Battle of Milvian Bridge is said to have been a turning point that influenced his support for Christianity and eventually led to the Edict of Milan in 313 CE, which granted religious tolerance to Christians. The arch stands near the Colosseum and was dedicated in 315 CE. It is the largest surviving triumphal arch in Rome. The structure consists of three archways and is adorned with reliefs and sculptures, some of which were repurposed from earlier monuments and buildings. The reliefs on the Arch of Constantine depict scenes from various imperial campaigns and events, including battles, hunting scenes, and religious ceremonies. Some of the reliefs were taken from earlier monuments, such as the Arch of Marcus Aurelius and the Arch of Trajan, and were incorporated into the design of the Arch of Constantine. The Arch of Constantine itself has undergone some restoration and conservation work over the years to ensure its preservation. These efforts have focused on stabilizing the structure, cleaning the stonework, and addressing any deterioration or damage caused by weathering and pollution.