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The Metropolitan Museum of Art

33,826 works

Etching of towering stone arches framing a distant piazza with a column, hanging ropes, and small figures on balconies.

The Grand Piazza, from "Carceri d'invenzione" (Imaginary Prisons)

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, ca. 1749-50

Etching of vast vaulted prison arches and staircases with smoke rising in the center and small figures below.

The Smoking Fire, from "Carceri d'invenzione" (Imaginary Prisons)

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, ca. 1749-50

Etching of a vast vaulted prison interior with arches, a staircase, a sawhorse, ladders and small workmen.

The Sawhorse, from "Carceri d'invenzione" (Imaginary Prisons)

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, ca. 1749-50

Etching of a vast vaulted prison with hanging chains, stairs and an inscribed title tablet reading Invenzioni di Carceri.

Title Page, from "Carceri d'invenzione" (Imaginary Prisons)

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, ca. 1749-50

Etching of a towering imaginary prison interior with stone arches, staircases, railed bridges and tiny figures in deep shadow

The Gothic Arch, from "Carceri d'invenzione" (Imaginary Prisons)

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, ca. 1749-50

Etching of a vaulted prison interior with arches, staircases, hanging lanterns and two small figures beside a chain.

The Pier with Chains, from "Carceri d'invenzione" (Imaginary Prisons)

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, ca. 1749-50

Hand-colored 1817 plan of the Bagatelle gardens by Pierre Lapie, with paths, ponds, a compass rose, and a watercolor vignette

Plan for the Garden of the Château de Bagatelle

Pierre Lapie, 1817

Watercolor drawing of an ornate covered urn with an eagle finial on a blue and gold pedestal, against a gray-green background

Drawing of Clinton Vase

Thomas Fletcher, ca. 1824-25

Pencil drawing of a three-piece tea service with ornate scrollwork, acanthus leaves, and shell motifs on a light paper ground

Nicholas Biddle tea service

Thomas Fletcher, ca. 1838

Pen drawing of a covered urn vase with serpent handles, eagle finial, and a battle scene inscribed 8 January 1815.

Design for a covered vase

Thomas Fletcher, ca. 1815-17

Pencil and wash design drawing of an ornate oval basket with lattice work, shell motifs, and claw feet on paper.

Design for a fruit or bread basket

Thomas Fletcher, ca. 1836-37

Pencil design sheet with a spread-winged eagle over a striped shield, a cherub on a sea horse panel, and a dedicatory inscrip

Designs for the ornaments and inscription on a testimonial urn

Thomas Fletcher, 1800-1866

Pencil design sheet showing a covered tureen with leaf handles, a covered dish, and a rectangular tray with a leaf border.

Design for a tea-pot, verso: design for a covered dish and bowl

Thomas Fletcher, 1800-1866

Pencil design drawing of a classical water pitcher with acanthus scrollwork, leaf-decorated base, and scrolled handle on pape

Design for a water pitcher

Thomas Fletcher, ca. 1835

Brown wash drawing of an ornate classical wine cooler with scroll handles, oak leaf and grape garlands, and a fluted pedestal

Design for a wine cooler

Thomas Fletcher, ca. 1825-35

Pen and ink drawing of a standing nude female figure with curly hair and draped cloth, dated 1711.

Study of a Female Figure (Venus)

François Boitard, 1711

Pen and ink drawing of a nude male figure holding an ornate urn, with French proportion notes along the right side.

Study of a Male Figure Holding a Vessel (Apollo)

François Boitard, ca. 1711

Etching of a skeletal death figure striding across a city square while carrying a child on its back.

Death carrying a child, from 'The five deaths' (Les cinq Morts)

Stefano Della Bella, ca. 1648

Engraving of ancient bronze lamps on chains beside a large urn decorated with cameo medallions of heads and masks.

Various Lamps and a vase encusted with cameos, from "Vasi, candelabri, cippi, sarcofagi, tripodi, lucerne, ed ornamen…

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, ca. 1778

Engraving of ornate classical armor: a Medusa-faced shield, a hunt-decorated shield, a helmet and a sword.

Parti in grande restaurati de' Trofei de Ottaviano Augusto (Restored detail of the Trophy of Octavian Augusto)

Francesco Piranesi, ca. 1753

Etching of massive ancient Roman stone walls and arcade beside a church tower, with figures and horsemen in a street.

Veduta degli avanzi del Foro di Nerva, l'arcade et la muraille (The Forum of Augustus [erroneously called the Forum o…

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, 1757

Etching of a seated Minerva statue amid overgrown Roman ruins, inscribed tablets, columns and sculptural fragments.

Frontispiece, with Statue of Minerva, from "Vedute di Roma"

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, ca. 1748

Etching of an ornate urn among ruins and foliage with reclining figures, under carved title lettering reading Vedute di Roma.

Frontispiece from "Vedute di Roma"

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, 1748

Etching of crumbling curved ruins with arched windows and columns, overgrown with plants, with small figures on the ground.

Avanzi del Tempio detto di Apollo nella Villa Adriana vicino a Tivoli (Hadrian's Villa. Remains of the Smaller Palace…

Giovanni Battista Piranesi, ca. 1768

Design for an Oval Mirror, Surmounted by an Urn and Draped with Neoclassic Swags

Sir William Chambers, 1740-96

Architectural drawing of a chimneypiece with fluted Ionic columns, a relief frieze of figures, and garland swags.

Design for a Chimneypiece with Ionic columns, a Frieze, and Cornice

Sir William Chambers, 1743-96

Architectural drawing of a classical chimney-piece with fluted columns, a frieze of masks and urns, and a scale bar.

Design for a Chimney-piece, for the Saloon, Milton Park, Northamptonshire

Sir William Chambers, 1770-76

Architectural elevation of a classical chimneypiece with fluted frieze, rosettes, bull's heads and a dark firebox, with dimen

Design for a Chimneypiece with a Classical Cornice, for Ampthill Park, Bedfordshire, Dining Room

Sir William Chambers, ca. 1769

Ink and wash drawing of a classical chimney-piece with swags, tassels, scrolled pediment and an urn finial.

Design for Hall Chimney-piece, Charlemont House, Dublin

Sir William Chambers, 1762

Ink and watercolor design of a neoclassical chimneypiece with laurel wreaths, urn panels and an Ionic capital beside a dark f

Design for a Chimneypiece, possibly for Melbourne House (now Albany), Piccadilly, London

Sir William Chambers, 1771-75 (?)