Piranesi’s marbles in Stockholm: between virtuosity and irony
Istituto Svedese di Studi Classici a Roma
Via Omero, 14
Roma
Data evento
22 Aprile 2026
During his stay in Rome 1783-1784, the Swedish king Gustavus III visited the combined workshop and showrooms of Giovanni Battista Piranesi in Via Felice (Sistina), at the top of the Spanish Stairs. The purchase of the studio’s entire contents of collectibles was concluded after the King’s return to Sweden. With its approximately 150 marble pieces, the Piranesi collection came to, for better or for worse, leave its mark on Gustav III’s ownership of antiquities. Not surprisingly, it reflects the creator’s, Piranesi’s, strongly personal view of antiquity. The collection’s showpieces can advantageously be read as material entries in his polemic against the neoclassical ideals of the time. That Piranesi’s aesthetic was defeated in that battle explains why the collection’s Swedish history has been characterized by questioning and oblivion. A project under my direction, a long-lasting effort currently under completion, aims to restore return it to its art historical stage through careful analysis and contextualization. Through in-depth study of the marbles, we can demonstrate how Piranesi’s recreation of ancient Rome’s magnificenza was built on equal parts of fantasy and antiquarian, or proto-archaeological knowledge, but also contains elements of distanciation. Demonstrating of how these qualities worked together offers important insights into) the spirit of his heritage.
The project, affiliated to the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm which owns the collection, has received significant financial support from the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities (Kungl. Vitterhetsakademien). Over the years, numerous Swedish and international partners from the field of Classical archaeology – students as well as leading specialists, have contributed to the work, which was resumed in 2024 and is intended to be concluded with two volumes covering a catalogue raisonné and a substantial photographic documentation.