The art of Piranesi

TITLE: GIOVANNI BATTISTA PIRANESI, SELECTED ETCHINGS
AUTHOR: LUIGI FICACCI
PUBLISHER: TASCHEN
ISBN: 3-8228-5530-8

Giovanni Battista Piranesi was an artist from Italy. He was actually an architect. A master draftsman of both imaginary and real subjects, as well as of architecture and stage design Piranesi was also expert in the theory and practice of engineering and geometry. Not only architecture, he has talent in art too, but he was convinced that it was only through architecture that he could exploit all his talents and revolutionize the world.

The book was merely a catalog of Piranesi works, which most of them were etchings. Etchings, according to wikipedia, are the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio in the metal (the original process—in modern manufacturing other chemicals may be used on other types of material). As an intaglio method of printmaking it is, along with engraving, the most important technique for old master prints, and remains widely used today.

This book also written in 3 language, which are English, French, and German. Too bad there wasn't Italian. But it's very good book, for inspiration in architecture and art too. I usually used it for cinematography, because there was contrast, light and shadow.