The Well (1761)

This page presents "The Well" (1761), created by Giovanni Battista Piranesi. About the period around 1761: In Japan, ukiyo-e woodblock printing flourished in the Edo period and made colour prints a popular and affordable art form. The eighteenth century began with the light, ornamental Rococo, especially in France, and moved towards the clarity and antique references of Neoclassicism by the end of the century. Background on Landscape: The invention of paint in tubes in the 1840s made it easier to work outdoors, and landscape became a main subject of Romanticism, Realism, and Impressionism. Landscape became an independent genre in European painting in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, while in East Asia it had long been central to ink painting. The catalogue places it in Landscape. The format is landscape.

On onlly.art "The Well" is sold as a digital download (Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI). The files are delivered by email after payment, so nothing is shipped: you print locally, choosing the paper, size, and frame yourself. A landscape format suits wide, low wall spaces such as the stretch above a bed, mantel, or sideboard. Before printing, compare the proportions of the file with your frame so that nothing important is cropped. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour. Choosing a standard frame size and printing to fit it often saves the cost of custom framing.

Italian, 1720–1778

If you like the visual language of Giovanni Battista Piranesi, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.