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A Party in a Roman Villa [recto]

Pirro Ligorio

1548

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance

Dominant colour

A Party in a Roman Villa [recto] is a 1548 ink by Pirro Ligorio, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Pirro Ligorio
When & what style?: 1548 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This drawing is packed with tiny, quick sketches of people and buildings. Some figures are standing, others are sitting or walking. There’s a big tree in the middle, and a few scattered plants. The lines are light but busy, with some areas filled in with crisscrossed strokes. The artist seems to be testing out ideas for a scene with lots of activity. The paper looks old, with a faint grid pattern underneath. If you like this sketchy style, look up cross-hatching.