Artwork
Architectural Fantasy with Roman Ruins
Architectural Fantasy with Roman Ruins is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Joseph Stephan. It dates from 1769 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower center in plate: Joseph. Stephan. inven. et sculp. 1769.; lower left below plate, in graphite: Ecole venetienne (undeciphered) 1744; on verso, lower right, in graphite: 96/134; No. 252
About this work
Overview
Architectural Fantasy with Roman Ruins is an etching on laid paper created by Joseph Stephan in 1769.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a fantastical landscape combining ancient Roman ruins with grand architectural structures, featuring a tall tower, broken columns, and a distant church steeple, with people engaging in various activities amidst a lush, park-like setting.
Technique & Style
Stephan employed fine lines in the etching to achieve a sense of depth and texture, blending detailed representation with a dreamy quality, and juxtaposing broken and intact structures to convey a mix of past and present.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
