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Figures on a Roman Piazza

Robert Smith

1837

graphite

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century Architectural Column

Dominant colour

Figures on a Roman Piazza is a 1837 graphite by Robert Smith, a Romanticism work, depicting Column, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Robert Smith
When & what style?: 1837 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

You see quick pencil lines forming people and horses in a sunlit Roman square. Smith sketched this on the spot during a walking tour in 1820. His notebook pages show the same scene from three angles—this is the second try. The loose, scribbled strokes make the crowd feel like it’s still moving. If you like how light plays on paper, look up the technique called *sfumato*.