architectural element
Giovanni Battista Piranesi was an 18th-century Italian painter, engraver, architect, and archaeologist who represented Neoclassicism and Romanticism. He was famous for creating a lot of original etchings with images of antique architecture monuments.
Giovanni Piranesi created hundreds of drawings and drafts in which he depicted the reconstructed ruins of ancient Roman buildings. His works are still used as teaching aids in the education of architectural students in many prestigious European universities. Piranesi periodically printed voluminous books with dozens of his own engravings depicting modified ancient architectural masterpieces - "graphic fantasies". His works were in demand among professional architects, who borrowed Piranesi's original ideas for their designs.
The peak of Piranesi's career came in the 1760s when, in recognition of his merits, he became an honorary member of the Guild of St. Luke and received from the Pope the title of Knight of the Golden Spur.
More than 700 of the master's original etchings have survived, printed in scholarly works.
Hubert Robert was a renowned French artist, celebrated for his captivating landscape paintings and architectural fantasies. Born in Paris in 1733, Robert's talent was nurtured early on, thanks to the patronage of the Choiseul family. His journey to Rome in 1754 marked a pivotal phase in his career, where he immersed himself in studying ancient and modern Italian architecture, significantly influencing his artistic style.
Hubert Robert's work is characterized by its romantic depiction of ruins, blending fantasy with historical accuracy, which earned him the nickname "Robert des Ruines." His landscapes and capricci, which are imaginative compositions of architectural elements, resonated with the art collectors and the aristocracy of his time, securing his place as a key figure in French art history.
Noteworthy are Hubert Robert's contributions to the design of picturesque gardens, where he provided atmospheric visions rather than practical layouts. His involvement in the creation of gardens at places like Ermenonville and Méréville showcases his ability to merge art with nature, creating spaces that were both innovative and inspirational.
His artworks, such as "The Port of Rome" and "The Old Bridge," are treasured in prestigious galleries worldwide, reflecting his enduring legacy in the realm of art and culture. For art collectors and experts, Hubert Robert's oeuvre offers a window into the 18th-century artistic landscape, where imagination and historical elements coalesce to form compelling visual narratives.
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Andreas Gursky, a German photographer born in 1955, is renowned for his large format architectural and landscape color photographs, which often feature a high vantage point. Gursky's work has garnered attention for its unique perspective on modern life and contemporary scenes, capturing the grandeur and intricacy of his subjects with a meticulous eye for detail. His pieces, such as "Rhein II" and "99 Cent II Diptychon," showcase his skill in transforming ordinary locales into extraordinary visual narratives, often with the aid of digital manipulation to enhance and refine the final image.
Andreas Gursky's photography is celebrated for its ability to capture the essence of globalization and the human impact on the environment, presenting scenes that are both familiar and alien in their scope and detail. His work has been exhibited worldwide and is held in high esteem in the art market, with some of his pieces achieving record-breaking auction prices.
For art collectors and experts, Andreas Gursky's photographs offer a profound commentary on the world we live in, blending technical prowess with a deep conceptual framework. His exhibitions and publications provide insight into his creative process and the evolution of his artistic vision.
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Jean-Antoine Watteau was a French painter and draughtsman whose brief career spurred the revival of interest in colour and movement, as seen in the tradition of Correggio and Rubens. He revitalized the waning Baroque style, shifting it to the less severe, more naturalistic, less formally classical, Rococo. Watteau is credited with inventing the genre of fêtes galantes, scenes of bucolic and idyllic charm, suffused with a theatrical air. Some of his best known subjects were drawn from the world of Italian comedy and ballet.
Aert van der Neer was a Dutch painter of the Gilded Age.
Van der Neer is considered a pioneer of the night landscape because of his successful solutions to lighting issues in his works. He painted many pictures of winter landscapes, including nighttime fires.