Interior of a Roman Villa
Jean-Claude-Richard, Abbé de Saint-Non
1765
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Jean-Claude-Richard, Abbé de Saint-Non
1765
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a dim, crumbling room with broken walls and a sagging ceiling. Dusty light filters in through gaps, revealing faded frescoes on the walls and a half-collapsed staircase. In the lower left, a small group gathers around a bed, while figures in the right corner seem to be exploring or fleeing. The artist used a rough, scratchy style to highlight the decay—notice how the lines look hand-drawn and uneven. This wasn’t just a drawing; it was made using a printmaking method called etching, drypoint, aquatint. Next, check out how etching works to see how artists like this created such detailed textures.
