Tomb Piso, Appian Way

The Tombs Attributed to Piso Licinianus and the Cornelii on the Appian Way (Veduta del Sepolcro di Pisone Liciniano su l'antica via Appia), “Views of Rome,” c. 1764, Etching on wove paper, Sheet/Page 41.75 H x 61.60 W cm (16 7/16 H x 24 1/4 W in), Gift from the Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art (Bequest of Frank B. Bristow), GW Collection (CGA.68.26.830)

By John Fine

The evocative etching – The Tombs Attributed to Piso Licinianus and the Cornelii on the Appian Way –  presents two monumental tombs that Giovanni Battista Piranesi erroneously attributes to the families of Piso Licinianus and the Cornelii along the historic Appian Way. Renowned for his architectural capriccios depicting Roman antiquities, Piranesi captures the grandeur and decay of Ancient Rome's funerary structures. The light peering between the ruins adds a dramatic effect, highlighting the textures of the aged stone and the depth of the architectural forms.

The composition is dominated by the tombs’ imposing ruins, rendered with meticulous detail. While ivy-clad walls and scattered stone fragments evoke a sense of time's passage, Piranesi's dramatic use of light and shadow highlights the tombs’ intricate carvings and architectural elements. The scene is animated by lumbering figures, reflecting the enduring human presence amidst the remnants of the past. It also includes a motif of cypress trees, often associated with Roman funerary customs.

Although Piranesi attributed the tombs to the prominent families of Piso Licinianus and the Cornelii, these tombs have no known connection to either family. Moreover, Piranesi does not clarify which family owned which tomb. Rather, just as when Piranesi erroneously attributed what is now thought to be the nymphaeum in the Horti Liciniani to the Temple of Minerva Medica, it appears that Piranesi misattributed these tombs as well.

Piranesi's tomb of Piso Licinianus, depicted on the left, does not clearly reference a specific member of the Licinii clan. Though, a tomb of the Gens Licinia would be equally as impressive considering the immense wealth of Marcus Licinius Crassus. The addition of ‘Piso’ in the name, however, makes the Tomb of Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi Licinianus a more plausible candidate. This member of the Gens Licinia is noteworthy because of his wealth, adoption by emperor Galba, and assassination during the Year of the Four Emperors (69 CE). It is unclear if this is the Licinianus Piso that Piranesi had in mind, however, as Piso’s actual tomb was discovered along the Via Salaria in 1884. The imposing tomb depicted in Piranesi’s work, with Corinthian columns, a wide central niche, and a tall base, reflects the status of a family who once stood tall, but was inevitably laid low by the forces of time and decay.

Piranesi’s second tomb, that of the Cornelii on the right side of the etching, is meant to portray the famous Roman lineage that spawned the likes of Scipio Africanus, hero of the Punic Wars. It is therefore likely that through this connection, Piranesi intended to depict the Tomb of the Scipios. Piranesi’s contemporaries knew that the Scipios’ tomb had been partially discovered in 1614; however, since the tomb was privately owned, it was resealed and hidden until its rediscovery in 1780. Since the tomb was not rediscovered until after Piranesi’s death in 1778, it is unlikely that Piranesi knew which tomb was the correct one, likely assuming his etching portrayed a strong candidate. With the magnanimity and grace of the rounded and stylized tomb, it is no wonder that Piranesi would have attributed the tomb to such a distinguished Roman family. 

Piranesi’s depiction of the Appian Way is significant as well. Popularized as the "Queen of Long-Distance Roads” in Statius’ Silvae, the Appian Way was one of the earliest and most important Roman roads. Constructed in 312 BCE under the guidance of the censor Appius Claudius Caecus, this extensive road connected Rome to the southern regions of Italy, ultimately reaching the port city of Brundisium (modern Brindisi). The Appian Way served as a crucial artery for military, economic, and social activities, especially as it facilitated the expansion of Rome into Campania during the Second Samnite War.

Burials along the Appian Way reflect its dual role as a practical and symbolic space. Rome’s original legal code, the Twelve Tables, forbade burials within the city limits, leading to the establishment of tombs and mausoleums along the roads leading into Rome. The Appian Way, being a prominent route, became a favored location for the wealthy and influential to build their final resting places. Families constructed elaborate monuments, adorned with inscriptions, sculptures, and reliefs, to commemorate the deceased. The tombs along the Appian Way thus became a testament to Rome's social hierarchy and the desire for posthumous recognition.

The Luther W. Brady Gallery’s Piranesi collection features another veduta of a Roman tomb. The View of the Remains of the Tomb of the Plautii on the Via Tiburtina (cat. #) also contrasts once-towering tombs as crumbling husks invaded by shambling figures. Many literary and artistic contemporaries of Piranesi paired the physical decay of Roman ruins with the social decay of these figures to emphasize the moral decay of “western civilization.” With the once-colossal structures of Rome’s mightiest families depicted as crumbling ruins inhabited by the destitute, one is left to reflect on the hubris of the entombed. In their quest to preserve their family’s dignity, they failed to recognize that one day, even artists searching for the grandeur of the past would forget the names of those laid to rest in these once-great mausoleums.

Inscription in Italian

A. Veduta del Sepolcro di Pisone Liciniano su l'antica via appia, oltre gli acquidotti di Torre di mezzavia d'Albano: il cui lavoro è tutto di terra cotta. B. Sepolcro della famiglia Cornelia, spogliato de' suoi ornamenti. C. Rovine di altri antichi Sepolcri

English Translation by Andrew Gibson:

A. View of the Tomb of Piso Licinianus on the ancient Appian Way, beyond the aqueducts of the middle tower on the via Albano: whose work is completely of terra cotta. B. Tomb of the Cornelia family, stripped of their adornments. C. Ruins of other ancient tombs. 

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