View of an Ancient Roman Bridge with a Mascaroon

About this work

This sketch shows a crumbling stone bridge with a giant, carved face built into its arch. Below, three people sit at a table on the bridge, while another stands holding a long pole. The bridge’s walls are weathered, and a balcony with plants juts out above them. In the background, a distant building and trees fade into the distance. The face in the arch looks like a mascaroon—a decorative, exaggerated mask. The artist used quick, sketchy lines to capture light and shadow, almost like a quick drawing. If you like this, check out gouache to see how artists mix paint with water for soft, layered colors.