Karnak
1857
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1857
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
This sketch shows a row of broken stone columns and crumbling walls. The paint is light and rough, like a quick note of what’s left behind. A tiny figure stands in the middle, dwarfed by the ruins. The artist focused on the weathered details—carvings on the columns, cracks in the stone. This was drawn in 1857, when travelers often sketched ruins like this. Next, look up ruins to see how they’ve inspired art for centuries.
