“The Staircase with Trophies,” from the series Le Carceri d’Invenzione (The Imaginary Prisons)

Trained in architecture and set design, Giovanni Battista Piranesi is celebrated for his dramatic renderings of Roman landmarks. Whereas his views of Rome are largely based on known monuments, his “imaginary prisons” are grounded in fantasy and inspired by the ancient past. Informed by the artist’s profound knowledge of classical architecture, the etching shown here features a colossal vaulted structure with intricately arranged staircases leading to spaces beyond view, seemingly going nowhere. Bewildering both in complexity and scale, the print’s cavernous architecture communicates a sense of awe. The Library’s copy is particularly remarkable for belonging to a rare early printing of the set that the well-known English print connoisseur John Charrington once owned.