The eclipsed son Francesco Piranesi and the first Paris edition of the works of Giovanni Battista Piranesi Colin Holden

The Baillieu Library at the (a luxury item in their day) appears the republican government established University of Melbourne is unique to be original—boards covered in in Rome in 1798. When royalist among Melbourne collections in its red combed paper and red leather Neapolitan forces briefly took the ownership of a particular edition of spines stamped with large fleur-de- city in autumn the following year, the the works of the 18th-century artist lis, Grecian key motifs and titles in brothers loaded all of their father’s and printmaker Giovanni Battista French. Many contain an identical copper plates and some other effects Piranesi (1720–1778). These holdings binder’s ticket, giving an address from his workshop onto an armed comprise just over one thousand where the binder, Tessier, worked French brig, only for the vessel to etched and engraved works, arguably between 1804 and 1807.1 Other be captured by a squadron led by the greatest body of prints created volumes were subsequently re-bound Captain (subsequently Admiral) in connection with the Grand Tour. in a similar way, using brown leather Thomas Troubridge, then Horatio These are not Roman printings made and paper, by Milanese book- and Nelson’s second-in-command in during the artist’s lifetime, but a print sellers Pietro and Giuseppe the Mediterranean. Troubridge was posthumous edition published in Paris Vallardi, slightly later in the same familiar with Piranesi’s work—not between 1800 and 1807. The title century.2 The largest volumes are surprisingly, given its popularity pages of the earliest volumes record on a truly grand scale, single pages among English collectors and Grand the year of publication according to measuring half by three-quarters Tourists. He arranged for safe the French revolutionary calendar; of a metre. Their first Australian conduct to France for the brothers not until 1804 do they revert to the owner, James Alipius Goold, and the precious plates, and obtained common Western calendar. This Melbourne’s first Roman Catholic assurances from French authorities edition is the masterwork and the bishop (subsequently archbishop), that their rights as owners would most ambitious project of Francesco was an extensive book collector be protected. Francesco presented Piranesi (1758–1810), Giovanni and a foundation member of the Troubridge with a complete set of his Battista’s eldest son, a competent University Council. He housed these father’s work.3 While this reads like printmaker himself, whose own and similar folios in special shelving something in a C.S. Forester novel, prints form several volumes in the in his library. Their purchase by the it is ultimately just one episode in a series. It is generally styled ‘the first Baillieu Library in 1974–75 was larger and remarkable story of which Paris edition’ of the senior Piranesi’s supported by funds from the Ivy only a fraction can be told here— work, to distinguish it from the May Pendlebury Bequest. Francesco’s life as a printmaker, edition published in Paris well after Behind this edition lie two art dealer, entrepreneur, man of Francesco’s death by Firmin-Didot remarkable stories. The first concerns letters, publisher and diplomat. The between 1835 and 1839, a fine copy the immediate circumstances that second part of this article focuses on of which is one of the treasures of the gave rise to Francesco’s Parisian Francesco’s intentions in publishing State Library of Victoria. publishing project. Along with his the first Paris edition, offering an The binding of most of the 23 younger brother Pietro, Francesco explanation for the sudden failure of folio volumes in the Baillieu Library Piranesi held public office as part of this and his other business ventures,

Colin Holden, ‘The eclipsed son’ 3 Left: The rich red Parisian binding of the Baillieu Library’s set of Piranesi’s works, from ‘the first Paris edition’ published by Francesco Piranesi in 1800–07. Many volumes contain the ticket of Tessier, the original binder. Special Collections, Baillieu Library, University of Melbourne.

Right: Francesco Piranesi, title page from Raccolta de’ tempj antichi (1780), Paris: Francesco Piranesi, c. 1800–07, two parts bound in the one volume numbered vol. VI. Special Collections, Baillieu Library, University of Melbourne. In this capriccio, the Pantheon and the Temple of the Sibyl at Tivoli are conspicuous. Francesco created the Raccolta as a sequel to his father’s Antichità romane.

and pointing to the desirability of in 1758.5 His father directed him to as a sequel to his father’s Antichità reassessing Francesco and his work different artists in Rome for basic romane, its plates provided detailed in publishing his father’s output. instruction. These teachers included measurements and cross-sections However, a concise outline of his the painter Domenico Corvi, of the Temple of the Sibyl at Tivoli life before the dramatic voyage to Giovanni Volpato, Domenico Cunego and the so-called Temple of Honour Paris is a necessary preliminary, given and the German brothers Philipp and Virtue. The 1790 volume the paucity of scholarly material on and Johann Gottlieb Hackert—all of completing the series did the same him current in English, in contrast whom were able printmakers—and for the Pantheon. By 1783 Francesco to a body of primary material and the architect Pierre-Adrien Pâris was publishing Il teatro d’Ercolano, important recent secondary studies at the Académie de France.6 In his based on the visit south with his in Italian and French. Among father’s last year, Francesco joined father. In 1784 he supervised a more recent publications, Rossana him on a trip to Herculaneum and to reprinting of his father’s Antichità Lumetti’s study of Francesco in the Paestum, south of Naples, the site of romane and the following year context of Enlightenment culture is three well-preserved Greek temples. issued his Monumenti degli Scipioni, invaluable for its citation of much Giovanni Battista died before the documenting a monument that had unpublished contemporary material. publication of a set of 20 vedute only been unearthed in the previous Another is the critical edition by (views) featuring the temples, which half-decade.10 The next year yet Erouart and Mosser of the Notice Francesco saw through the press. another work appeared, the Collection historique, an early biography of Though Francesco named himself des plus belles statues. Here one of his Giovanni Battista Piranesi by on the frontispiece and two of these collaborators was Tommaso Piroli, architect Jacques-Guillaume Legrand, vedute, his actual contribution was who would work again in Paris with whose father-in-law, Charles Louis unquestionably minimal.7 However, the Piranesi brothers. In the Raccolta Clérisseau, was a long-term friend Francesco used drawings and detailed de’ tempj antichi and Monumenti degli of the great printmaker. Despite measurements made on this trip in Scipioni the classical scholar Ennio having being commissioned by later publications, notably Il teatro Quirino Visconti also collaborated by Francesco for publication as part of d’Ercolano (1783) and later again in providing texts.11 the first Paris edition, the biography the three volumes of Antiquités de la The sons’ inheritance included remained unpublished until 1921, grande Grèce, published between 1804 remaining stock of the antique and is important for the light it casts and 1807 among the last volumes of sculptures and statuary that their on the edition itself, and the setting the series produced in Paris.8 father had sold from his workshop in which the brothers’ business, the The sons inherited their father’s to Grand Tourists. Francesco’s Calcographie Piranesi, operated.4 business and workshop, and also a social status rose markedly when pattern of intense, almost ceaseless, he negotiated the sale of most of Francesco’s Rome years activity.9 By 1780 Francesco had this collection to Gustavus III of Francesco was born to Giovanni published the first part of his Sweden, an Enlightenment despot Battista and his wife, Angela Pasquini, Raccolta de’ tempj antichi. Conceived who was anxious to create his

4 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 11, December 2012 own collection of antiquities. The Sweden.12 Francesco began signing as the ultimate mover against him statuary—in Francesco’s own list, 96 himself ‘cav[aliere]’ (knight) on in this affair.14 Though the situation items—arrived in September 1785 publications such as his Monumenti is too complicated to describe in Stockholm, where it remains to degli Scipioni, instead of ‘architetto’, here in detail, Lumetti’s extensive this day. To expedite this, in 1783 which had appeared on some earlier research on the correspondence the king conferred diplomatic status publications. His father had made between Piranesi and the Swedish on Francesco as his cultural agent precisely the same shifts in styling court found no evidence to in Rome, and also as agent to the himself after he received the same support Acton’s allegation, and ports of the Papal States. In return, knighthood in 1765. Francesco published a spirited Francesco chose to be paid an annual In the next decade, Francesco’s defence—actually the work of the pension, and continued to make diplomatic status became a poisoned poet Vincenzo Monti—under his recommendations to the Swedish chalice. In 1794, the Prime Minister own name. The Swedish court court concerning further potential of Naples, Sir John Acton, accused registered its approval of Francesco’s acquisitions. It was probably in Francesco of planning to assassinate fidelity by the award of another conjunction with the king’s visit to Count Gustaf Armfelt, a roving knighthood, the étoile polaire, Rome and Francesco’s diplomatic Swedish diplomat who was out of in 1796, but Neapolitan justice status that he was awarded a papal favour with the regency then ruling sentenced two of his assistants, knighthood, the speron d’oro, at Sweden but was protected by the charged with complicity in the about this time. To Pope Pius VI Neapolitan court because of his plot, to 15 years in the galleys—a the king’s visit was significant as it counter-revolutionary stance.13 The kind of living death.15 Undoubtedly coincided with the extension of the Queen of Naples, Maria Carolina, the Armfelt incident strengthened establishment of freedom of religious was sister of the ill-fated Marie in Francesco a preference for practice for Roman Catholics in Antoinette; Francesco identified her democracy and republicanism.

Colin Holden, ‘The eclipsed son’ 5 Francesco Piranesi, Title page from Il Teatro d’Ercolano, Paris: Francesco Piranesi, c. 1800–07, numbered vol. XIX. Special Collections, Baillieu Library, University of Melbourne. Gustavus III of Sweden (1746–1792) appears here in an antique-style medallion first published in 1785, close to the time of the Swedish king’s visit to Italy.

The opportunity for Francesco of his own publications alongside Such publications were works of to express his rejection of the ancien his father’s, or rather, using his art in themselves, and the tradition régime came in February 1798 with father’s name in order to ensure sales continued into the Napoleonic era, the establishment of a republican of his own, was a long-established notably in the Description de l’Egypte government in Rome, in which he modus operandi. As early as 1782, in (1809–28), a 21-volume set of atlas held office in the areas of police correspondence with the Swedish folios documenting architecture and and finance. At the same time, as court, he had offered Gustavus III artworks in Egypt, generated in the Sweden adopted a hostile stance ‘l’entière collection de mes ouvrages wake of the French expedition of the towards France, his diplomatic status en 19 volumes’, a date when most of 1790s. Further, while the abolition of was revoked, and he declined an the 19 would have been his father’s many organisations and structures set offer to continue his pension.16 But publications.18 Francesco’s prospectus up under the ancien régime created with the Neapolitan occupation of gives prices for individual volumes, a level of uncertainty for publishers Rome in autumn the next year, the and also for single sets of some works and print sellers, not to mention Piranesi brothers’ departure for Paris such as the Carceri. Each of the those involved in the visual arts and was a matter of prudence, given the Vedute di Roma, the ‘bestsellers’ of all architecture, it also created new Neapolitan court’s ruthless attitude his father’s output, and sheets of the openings.19 Francesco’s project was towards republican activists and the Vasi, cippi …, an influential anthology designed to exploit some of these queen’s hostility to Francesco. of interior decoration designs, were opportunities. available separately. For 19 of the 22 An Italian aristocrat encouraged The first Paris edition volumes (Francesco did not indicate the French government to support On arrival in Paris, Francesco and prices for some volumes) the total the Piranesi brothers by making space Pietro wasted no time in getting price amounted to 1,496 francs—and available for their projects. He wrote down to business: in an advertisement more if a different paper were used. to the master diplomat Talleyrand in the Magasin Encyclopédique in From this distance in time, it in 1800, referring to how Francesco 1799 they promised delivery by might appear an ambitious, indeed and Pietro ‘wanted to establish 2 April 1800 of impressions from foolhardy, project for a recently a school to train printmakers in their first printing. By 1800 Francesco, arrived émigré to undertake. copying antiquities’.20 Similarly, a well-organised publicist, had issued However, there were important J.-G. Legrand insisted in his Notice a prospectus outlining the project elements in Francesco’s favour. Across historique that the manner and style and listing prices.17 The sheer scale the 18th century, with the appearance of the master’s prints furnished ideal of the undertaking was nothing if of major series such as the Cabinet models for the rising generation of not grand. It embraced a reprinting du Roi and the Receuil Julienne, Paris printmakers to study.21 In addition, of all his father’s works, Francesco’s had established itself as Europe’s the 1800 prospectus described own existing publications and new leading city for the publication of one of the aims of the reprinting works such as the Antiquités de la large-format luxury books and sets as the creation of ‘un cours complet grande Grèce. For Francesco, the sale of prints that reproduced artworks. d’architecture’.22 It informed readers

6 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 11, December 2012 that many volumes of prints of synthesising architectural history— 1970s, the exhibition Piranèse et architectural subjects would include their collaborative work was the les Français, 1740–1790 26 and a texts explaining the theoretical Recueil et parallèle des édifices de related seminar 27 reminded modern principles that enabled the architects tout genre (1799–1801). Durand scholars of the extent to which the of ancient masterpieces to achieve also appears to have invested master’s work had permeated the an enduring solidity. There even 40,000 francs in the Calcographie 18th-century French consciousness. seems to have been the intention of Piranesi at its inception and profited The didactic thrust of some of the extending the ‘complete course’ to from his initial investment.24 As publicity for Francesco’s edition of include French architecture, with a Francesco launched his project he his father’s works dovetails with reprinting in 1804 of the Antiquités was surrounded by like-minded the appearance of his own name de la France by Charles-Louis associates, and his use of his father’s in connection with other large Clérisseau, edited by his son-in- name in Paris as the basis for ‘un educational projects at this time. law J.-G. Legrand.23 At this time cours complet ...’ was eminently In 1802 the Paris press discussed Legrand was also collaborating as reasonable. Orders in 1797 from plans for a free school to operate in an author with another influential the Bibliothèque Nationale, the conjunction with a new Académie architect, Jean-Nicolas-Louis Institut National and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, with seven classes Durand, professor of architecture at Polytechnique for sets of Giovanni and capacity for 300 students. In that the Ecole Polytechnique, where he Battista’s work are one among many discussion the artist Jean Duchesne created the first systematic course signs of ongoing French interest l’aîné displayed barely concealed on architectural history. Legrand in his work as a model for a new hostility towards Francesco as an and Durand were both interested in generation of students.25 In the outsider.28

Colin Holden, ‘The eclipsed son’ 7 Francesco Piranesi after a drawing by Louis-Jean Desprez, Fireworks above the Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome (c. 1790–93), from G.B. Piranesi (and others), Opere di Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Francesco Piranesi e d’altri, vol. XXIII of 29 volumes, Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1835–39. State Library of Victoria. Francesco originally designed this dramatic etching to be completed with hand-colouring, subsequently altering it to print as seen here.

The last page of Legrand’s Notice the role of minister for the interior. Francesco should be paid an annual historique contains an impressive When bureaucratic regulations pension of 3,000 francs and be given list of names of those who favoured stood in the way, it was Talleyrand a percentage of the value of sales as Francesco’s publishing project. Major who wrote to Lucien Bonaparte long as he continued to work in the figures included the artist Jacques- that ‘the French government has business under its new management. Louis David, the veteran architect been greatly interested to welcome His creditors should also be paid Clérisseau and Ennio Quirino these two well-regarded artists’. through the release of 360,000 francs Visconti, now in Paris.29 At the Jean Duchesne was not necessarily by the caisse d’ammortisement. By end of this procession appears the pleased when he observed that the 12 December that year a decree ‘premier Magistrat le Géneral Consul brothers enjoyed ‘strong protection’.32 authorised the government’s purchase Bonaparte’. It was not just window- However, he was correct in detecting of the plates, which until then dressing. Francesco had maintained that their supporters were powerful were in the hands of his creditors. his capacity for impressing those men. In turn, the government Francesco barely lived long enough to with power and influence. It was expected the brothers to find and enjoy the relief that this was intended courtesy of General Berthier and pay the artists and craftsmen who to provide him: he died suddenly on a government commissioner that would execute the work under their 10 January 1810.34 He was only 52. the plates had been transported supervision. Later, Joseph Bonaparte This dramatic reversal deserves free of charge between Rome and supported Francesco in establishing explanation. At least four elements Paris.30 In the 1790s, Francesco had a terracotta factory near Joseph’s contributed to Francesco’s mis- some direct contact with Joseph Morfontaine estate. fortune. Firstly, while Paris was Bonaparte, then an ambassador in certainly Europe’s leading centre for Rome, and observed the courting Business failure the production of luxury illustrated of Carolina Bonaparte by a young From the beginning of his career, books and series, publication of Roman aristocrat.31 The Piranesi Francesco had displayed considerable this kind was not without pitfalls. brothers advertised their activities, business acumen.33 Yet by 1809, two Previous successful publications de including the publication of the first government officials had completed luxe had virtually infallible backers: Paris edition, under the name of the a report on the perilous situation the monarchy, financiers or very Calcographie Piranesi, and at all three of the Calcographie Piranesi, and wealthy aristocrats. The Voyage different addresses that housed this made several recommendations on pittoresque ou description des royaumes business over a period of time, the how to rescue it and its principal. de Naples et de Sicilie (four volumes, government made the space available They estimated Francesco’s debts as Paris, 1781–86)—perhaps the most to the brothers rent-free. In securing amounting to 980,000 francs. They beautiful illustrated travel book of the this arrangement, Francesco’s earlier recommended the closure of the 18th century, and one whose subject acquaintance with Joseph Bonaparte Morfontaine factory and government matter overlapped at many points was probably crucial, since Joseph acquisition of the Calcographie, with the world of the Piranesis—was now held responsibilities such as including all the copper plates. a severe financial embarrassment

8 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 11, December 2012 Colin Holden, ‘The eclipsed son’ 9 to its creator, the Abbé Richard This failure coincided with as plates is that while the plates were Saint-Non. He lacked that kind of the third element. A recent study all on newly manufactured French backing.35 identifies 1806–07 as the time of ‘the paper, the text pages bound in with The second element, regarded by first, distinctively capitalist economic them are on late-18th-century Italian Lumetti as the most important of crisis of the new century’. An earlier paper, quite different from the French all, was Francesco’s establishment of boom in manufactures of many product in its watermarks and overall a factory to manufacture terracotta kinds was followed by a slump, as ‘by weight.40 Clearly, there were not wares, friezes, cornices, urns and 1806 the existing market at home enough orders after 1800 to create the Etruscan-style busts, in keeping and abroad for French manufactures need for a new printing of the text with the Empire aesthetic. For was saturated’.38 In this light it is pages. The remainders were ones the this project he had the support easy to understand the failure of brothers had brought with them from of Joseph Bonaparte. The main the Morfontaine factory. The last Rome.41 factory at Plailly near Joseph’s volumes of the first Paris edition Careful examination of the estate at Morfontaine used local were also being published in these Firmin-Didot edition of 1835–39 clay, identified by the Piranesis years. This is when creditors began furnishes additional evidence. as specially suitable. It employed to menace Francesco. When the French government over a hundred workers including Scholarship has so far over- offered the plates for sale in 1829, a sculptor and others involved in looked the fourth likely element in a report described them as being design. The brothers advertised its Francesco’s financial predicament: ‘in very good condition, and able wares in the Athenaeum, a short-lived the failure of the first Paris edition to sustain a number of printings’.42 journal they published in 1806–07. to sell. In 1809 the government This is consistent with a modest- Francesco invested 130,000 francs commissioners reporting on his sized print run by the Calcographie in the business to begin with, but affairs noted that ‘there had been so Piranesi. There is more interesting, incurred substantial losses as none much printing of the most beautiful internal evidence that can only be of the statuary or Etruscan wares of the father’s works, that interest gleaned by a careful examination of sold, only garden urns and vases.36 had been exhausted’; in other words, watermarks, in this case by comparing In 1807, Pietro left for Rome the market for Piranesi images was the watermarks on papers used in where he published his own work saturated.39 Some characteristics of the first Paris edition with those on and held public office under the the paper and printing in the volumes sheets in Firmin-Didot’s 1835–39 Napoleonic regime.37 Whether his themselves suggest that despite printing. While the majority of sheets departure at this particular time was the care with which Francesco in the State Library of Victoria’s directly related to the failure of the advertised the series, the consequent Firmin-Didot set are printed on latest business venture is unclear. demand only justified the printing paper manufactured close to the Meanwhile, Francesco was now of a modest-sized run. A consistent time of printing, other sheets bear completely on his own in running feature of volumes such as V–VII watermarks from several decades the Calcographie. and X that include text pages as well before; further, the watermarks

10 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 11, December 2012 correspond to ones that appear of the sky and the weight of the erupted in AD 79. Above all else, regularly on paper used by Francesco architecture by carefully following the his entrepreneurial skills and in his first Paris edition, specifically, dramatic and heavy inking practised determination to preserve his father’s papers manufactured by Dupuy at by his father, at the same time taking plates was crucial for the long-term Ambert in the Auvergne.43 Along care with fine and delicate details. dissemination and ongoing popularity with the copper plates, Firmin-Didot The same is true of the Veduta della of the master’s oeuvre. Though at the appears to have purchased remainders Dogana di Terra a Piazza di Pietra. time Francesco’s first Paris edition of plates printed by Francesco and He took care with the inking of the was a commercial embarrassment, in also a stock of unused paper of this unsettling clusters of parallel lines in hindsight it was a crucial point, helping kind, on which they subsequently the sky in the Veduta delle due chiese to ensure the ongoing transmission of printed. Documentation of and the view showing the Academie. the Piranesian tradition. watermarks in sets of the Firmin- His reprinting of the Veduta dell’ Dr Colin Holden is a senior fellow of the Didot edition held in other Isola Tiberina captures both the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies collections has yet to be undertaken shimmering reflections in the water, at the University of Melbourne. He is a social to establish the full extent to which and heavily bitten and inked lines historian of the 20th century and has published extensively, through Melbourne University Press this occurred. In the absence of used in depicting the end of the and elsewhere, on nationalism, radical politics and any other documentation, it would island closest to the viewer. the churches, and the visual arts. Miegunyah Press shed further light on the scale of published Lionel Lindsay in Spain in conjunction with an exhibition he curated for the National Francesco’s printing. Conclusion Gallery of Victoria in 2003–04, and he has A more detailed discussion A detailed assessment of the prints by curated four exhibitions on historical themes in art of Francesco’s reprinting of his Francesco published under his own for the Geelong Gallery, including In search of the father’s plates is also due, but some name is the subject for an article in picturesque: The architectural ruin in art (2012). basic points can be suggested here, its own right. Inevitably they stand in with reference to Piranesi senior’s the shadow of his father’s work, but This article draws on research carried best-selling images, the Vedute di his best works can be divided into out by Colin Holden as the Redmond Barry Fellow at the State Library of Roma. In some cases, such as the two categories. The first comprises Victoria and University of Melbourne Veduta della Piazza della Rotonda, documentary architectural works, in 2010–11, when he began researching a panoramic view of the Pantheon many of them cross-sections of these institutions’ holdings of works by Giovanni Battista Piranesi. As part of and space around it, Francesco’s temples or details of architectural a collaboration between the library and reprinting seems flat, largely due features. The second consists of university, he is curating A traveller’s to the way the plate was inked. In a handful of large and dramatic dream: Piranesi and the Grand Tour, an exhibition to be held at the State Library others, he carefully reproduced the night scenes exploiting chiaroscuro of Victoria in March–July 2014. A core characteristic of his father’s mature effects, including one of fireworks of major works from both collections style. In reprinting the Veduta della above the Castel Sant’Angelo (see will be supplemented by other material illuminating the historical, literary and facciata della Basilica di S. Croce in page 9), and another, the attempted artistic context in which Piranesi worked. Gerusalemme he captures the drama flight by Pompeians as Vesuvius

Colin Holden, ‘The eclipsed son’ 11 1 On the Tessier ticket with the Rue de la Harpe himself with republicanism in Rome at the 33 Interesting contemporary evidence is quoted address, see Andrew Robison, Piranesi—early end of the century. He was one of five consuls by Antony Griffiths in ‘Giovanni Volpato’, architectural fantasies: A catalogue raisonné of and minister for the interior under Berthier. Print Quarterly, vol. 5, no. 4, 1988, p. 429. the etchings, Chicago and London: University In Paris, he took charge of the antiquities 34 Lumetti, pp. 22–33. of Chicago Press, 1986 (hereafter ‘Robison’), collections at the Louvre under Napoleon. 35 See Antony Griffiths, ‘The contract between p. 241, n. 23; and Monica Syrette, ‘Piranesi 12 On Gustav III and Roman Catholicism, Laborde and Saint-Non for the Voyage engravings at the University Library’, see Lumetti, pp. 55–6, 70, 74–5. pittoresque de Naples et de Sicilie’, Print University of Melbourne Library Journal, 13 On Armfelt, see Lumetti, pp. 130–1, 134–6, Quarterly, vol. 5, no. 4, 1988, pp. 408–14, and vol. 10, no 1, July 2005, pp. 6–7. In the Baillieu 138, 151. Antony Griffiths, ‘Denon and Saint-Non’, Library’s set, Tessier tickets appear in vols I–V, 14 Lumetti, pp. 144–5. Print Quarterly, vol. 26, no. 4, 2009, pp. 380–1. VIII and XIII–XVII. 15 Lumetti, p. 151. 36 Lumetti, pp. 219, 221–4, 228, 231–2, is the 2 The Vallardi ticket survives in vol. XIX. 16 Lumetti, p. 197. most detailed account to date of this project. It gives the brothers’ address as ‘Contrada 17 For advertisements in the Magasin 37 Lumetti, p. 228. The publication, another S Margharita n 1101 al’ insegno della Stella Encyclopedique, see Robison, p. 241, n. 23. contribution by the Piranesi family to Roman d’Oro all’ angolo del Vicolo dell Aquila’. The price I quote for a full set of the first antiquarianism and neoclassicism, was 3 Arthur Samuel, Piranesi, London: Batsford, Paris edition comes from a copy of the Le bassirilevi antichi di Roma e sue aggiacenze, 1910, pp. 165–6; and in less detail, Rossana prospectus held in the Sir John Soane Rome, 1807. Pietro became a prefect under Caira Lumetti, La cultura dei lumi tra Italia Museum; elsewhere, Erouart and Mosser, General Miollis. e Svezia: il ruolo di Francesco Piranesi, p. 217, quote from a longer version of the 38 Henry Heller, The bourgeois revolution in Rome: Bonacci, 1990 (hereafter ‘Lumetti’), prospectus held in the Bibliothèque Nationale. France, New York and Oxford: Berghahn p. 216, n. 9. 18 Quoted in Lumetti, p. 37. Books, 2006, p. 140. 4 J.-G. Legrand, Notice historique sur la vie et 19 Erouart and Mosser, p. 218. 39 Erouart and Mosser, p. 219. les ouvrages de J.-B. Piranesi, 1799, edited by 20 Quoted in Lumetti, p. 217. 40 Robison, pp. 215–39, has extensive Gilbert Erouart and Monique Mosser, in 21 Legrand, p. 232. documentation of watermarks used in editions Georges Brunel (ed.), Piranèse et les Français: 22 Erouart and Mosser, p. 217, quoting the of Piranesi’s Opere varie. colloque tenu à la Villa Médicis 12–14 mai 1976, prospectus in the Bibliothèque Nationale. 41 This is consistent with evidence discussed in Rome: Edizioni dell’Elefante, 1978, 23 Erouart and Mosser, p. 217. Robison, p. 241, n. 25. The inventory listing pp. 213–52 (hereafter cited as ‘Legrand’; 24 Erouart and Mosser, pp. 217, 219. the contents of Giovanni Battista’s business material from the introduction by Erouart and 25 Lumetti, p. 216. premises at his death suggests that Francesco Mosser as ‘Erouart and Mosser’). 26 The exhibition catalogue is Piranèse et les was following in his father’s footsteps in 5 A parish record compiled following his Français, 1740–1790: Rome, Villa Medici; amassing large quantities of paper—see father’s death and quoted by Erouart and Dijon, Palais des Etats de Bourgogne; Paris, Robison, p. 55, n. 42. Mosser, p. 236, n. 76 and in Lumetti, p. 43, Hôtel de Sully; mai–novembre 1976, Rome: 42 Erouart and Mosser, p. 220. n. 20, gives Francesco’s age in 1778 as 17, Edizioni dell’Elefante, [1976]. 43 I intend to publish online a detailed record but this document is clearly unreliable on 27 Georges Brunel (ed.), Piranèse et les Français: of the watermarks in conjunction with the several points—it also gives his father’s age at colloque tenu à la Villa Médicis, 12–14 mai 1976, exhibition of Piranesi’s works to be held at the time of death as 56. Rome: Edizioni dell’Elefante, 1978. the State Library of Victoria in 2014. Paper 6 Legrand, pp. 236, 250. 28 Erouart and Mosser, pp. 218–19, citing bearing Robison’s watermark 78 appears in 7 Jonathan Scott, Piranesi, London: Academy Duchesne’s response in his ‘Quelques idées several volumes in the SLV’s set of the Editions, 1975, p. 252. sur l’établissement des frères Piranesi’, and other Firmin-Didot edition. 8 Legrand, p. 247. contemporary sources. 9 On the contents of the workshop, see Robison, 29 Legrand, p. 252. p. 55, n. 42. 30 Legrand, p. 252. 10 For contemporary correspondence on the 31 Lumetti, p. 160, quoting correspondence with reprinting, see Lumetti, p. 61, n. 69. the Swedish court; see also pp. 194, 221. 11 Like the Piranesi brothers, Visconti identified 32 Quoted in Lumetti, pp. 218, 219.

12 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 11, December 2012