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All photographs (c) Randolph Langenbach, 2006

PIRANESI PROJECT

A 2002-2003 Rome Prize Fellowship Project: The Piranesi Project is a photographic project documenting the same views that Giambattista Piranesi etched and engraved in his famous Vedute di Roma in the middle of the 18th century.  This work explores the capabilities of digital photography by taking photographs into the pre-photographic perspective used by Piranesi and other artists of his period.

CLICK HERE: for access to a series of papers on the subject and a 9 minute preview of the 50 minute slide-video show.

  

An Experiment in the use of 18th Century Perspective from the Piranesi Project in the "Building" of a Photographic Image:

BORROMINI'S ST. IVO IN ROME

Interior view "built" out of nine different original photographs (seen below).  The dome is in fact only visible by looking almost straight up. 

The photograph was taken in an alcove identical to the one seen opposite with the door in it.

CLICK on images to ENLARGE

  

(1) Wide View of 1887 High Service Pumping Station interior showing the main steam engine with the pumps visible to the left.  The equipment is no longer in use.		 CHESTNUT HILL PUMPING STATION
Brookline, Massachusetts

Photographed, February, 2008

The High Service Pumping Station, constructed in 1887, was designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style by Arthur Vinal, City Architect. An 1897-1898 addition was by Wheelwright & Haven, Architects. Massive pumps inside the building provided water to newly annexed parts of Boston, located at higher elevations, and sent water to the Fisher Hill Reservoir in Brookline.  Source: Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.

CLICK on Photo to ENLARGE.

  
MACHU PICCHU World Heritage Site, PERU
Click on photo to enlarge

This view is composed of 4 wide angle photographs, so it shows the ring of mountains and the river that winds around the site that is not visible in single wide angle photographs.

  
SHEIK-LOTF-ALLAH MOSQUE (مسجد شيخ لطف الّله) INTERIOR, ISFAHAN, IRAN
Click on photo to enlarge
Source images This image was taken from inside a corner niche that is identical to the one that is directly opposite. Three photos were used to build this completed view.

 

 

 

 

 
 
CHURCH OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, LAVIZZARA, SWITZERLAND

This church was designed by Mario Botta and constructed in 1996 to replace a 17th century church destroyed by an avalanche in 1986. 

This image is digitally built from a total of 6 wide angle photographs.  The photographs were taken in July, 2010.  I wish to thank Swiss architect Tom Schacher for taking me to see this church.

 

This array shows the source images for the photo-mosaic of the church interior

  
PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION OF BARAK OBAMA
Washington DC

Photographed, January 18-20, 2009

CLICK HERE to go to image collection.