Piranesi’s Opere at the Gothenburg Museum of Art

Abstract

The collection of the Gothenburg Museum of Art contains a set of 18 bindings described as being a near-complete edition of 18th century etcher Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s work, as a whole titled the Opere. Previous documentation is sparse. The completeness and edition of the work is unknown and its treatment since the acquisition in 1928 undocumented. The study aims to provide a basis for discussing present risks and potential options for the future preservation of the Opere with regard to its present condition and its significance in the context of the museum collection, as well as to verify information regarding its content and age. To this end binding characteristics were documented and a condition survey of the set conducted. Assessment criteria focusing on the structural stability of the volumes were adapted from established survey methodologies. The examination found the volumes at risk of further damage, primarily due to physical damage to the bindings which could likely be attributed to a history of use at the museum in combination with inherent structural weakness. The findings are discussed in relation to the history of the objects, the study of Piranesi’s work, the museum collection, and current storage conditions. Major issues identified include lacking documentation, risk of further physical damage and material deterioration, and the previous removal of etchings for exhibition. The discussion highlights factors complicating decision-making in addressing the issues, primarily stemming from the unclear function and management of bound objects within the collection of graphic art. At the time of its foundation the collection of graphic art was both actively exhibited and used for the study of art, but presently bound volumes are a marginalised object type with no clear place in the current use of the collection. The future of the Opere will depend on whether it’s considered in isolation or with regard to the collection as a whole, and the prioritisation of the volumes’ function as bound objects or of the value of the etchings as artworks to display.