Famous Places

Artists in this section represented places celebrated in their worlds, focusing on their historical importance or their beauty. All of the works displayed are prints created for purchase by those who wanted a souvenir of their travels or by those who were unable to make the journeys but nevertheless were fascinated by these landmarks. In late 18th and 19th century Italy, Piranesi and Rossini depicted the ruins of ancient aqueducts and funerary structures for separate series focusing on the antiquity and mystique of the "eternal city" of Rome. In 19th c. Japan, Hokusai and Hiroshige created designs for many series of prints depicting famous locales in the city of Edo (modern Tokyo) and in the provinces of Japan. All of these artists were responding to the market, but their interpretations of their surroundings are strikingly different.

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