Albano Laziale, Italy: ruins of a tomb called the tomb of the three brothers Curiatius. Etching by G.B. Piranesi, 1748.

In Roman history or myth, the Horatii were triplet brothers who fought as champions against the triplet Curiatius brothers, in order to decide the outcome of a war between their respective cities, Rome and Alba Longa (Albano). Two of the Horatii and all three Curiatii were killed. The gigantic overgrown ruins of a tomb at Albano shown in this print were believed by some to be the tomb of the three Curiatii

On the right three men are trying to remove large slabs of stone, perhaps the lid of the adjacent empty sarcophagus

[Roma (dirimpetto l'Academia di Franzia)] : [si vende dall'autore], [1748]

1 print : etching ; platemark 13.5 x 26.7 cm

Sepolcro delli tre fratelli Curiati in Albano. Piranesi f. Bears number: Tav. 27 The lettering is etched on the side of a wall as a trompe l'oeil inscrption

A.M. Hind, Giovanni Battista Piranesi: a critical study, with a list of his published works, New York 1922, pp. 75-76, no. 27

Wellcome Collection 2982301i