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Veuë de la place et de l'Eglise de S. Piere et du Palais du Pape appellé le Vatican

Israël Silvestre

1650

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque

Dominant colour

Veuë de la place et de l'Eglise de S. Piere et du Palais du Pape appellé le Vatican is a 1650 ink by Israël Silvestre, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Israël Silvestre
When & what style?: 1650 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This black-and-white print shows a grand square packed with people and horses. In the center stands a huge church with a tall dome and two tall towers. The buildings around it are detailed with columns and statues. Below, crowds fill the open space, some walking, some riding, and others gathered in groups. The artist used fine lines to capture every tiny detail, like the folds in the people’s clothes. This kind of printmaking is called *etching*—the artist scratched into a metal plate to create the image. Next, look up etching to see how artists make these sharp, precise prints.

About the artist

Artist

Israël Silvestre

Israel Silvestre (13 August 1621 in Nancy – 11 October 1691 in Paris), called the Younger to distinguish him from his father, was a prolific French draftsman, etcher and print dealer who specialized in topographical views and perspectives of famous buildings.

See the richer artist page