On view through 18 April at the Madrid Institute of Architects (COAM) is an exhibition of ninety engravings by Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778). Born in Mogliano Veneto, Piranesi studied architecture in Venice and in 1740 moved to Rome, where he depicted ruins with great precision, combining detail and accurate descriptions with imaginative elements. Piranesi visited archaeological sites and took meticulous notes for his more than 2,000 works.

The show gathers 25 double engravings of the series Le Antichità Romane, which offers views of funerary monuments of Rome and surroundings, as well as illustrations of Roman urbanism, including of how streets were cobbled. The other important set of engravings on display comprises 65 prints belonging to the series Vedute di Roma, dated between 1745 and 1778. These are Piranesi’s principal works, perhaps those which brought him fame and popularity, mixing monumental landmarks of ancient and modern Rome.

Organized by Fundación Ibercaja with Real Sociedad Económica Aragonesa de Amigos del País, in collaboration with COAM-Fundación Arquitectura COAM, the exhibition features the collection of Piranesi engravings owned by Económica, the institution behind Fundación Ibercaja.