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Interior of a Temple

Pierre Varin

1750

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism 18th Century

Dominant colour

Interior of a Temple is a 1750 ink by Pierre Varin, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Pierre Varin
When & what style?: 1750 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This drawing shows a grand, empty temple interior. Tall columns line the sides, leading up to a curved ceiling packed with intricate designs. At the far end, a raised platform holds a small altar with statues, and steps lead up to it. The walls are covered in detailed carvings and patterns, and light streams in through arched windows. The artist used tight, crisscrossed lines to create shadows and texture—this is called cross-hatching. It makes the scene look almost three-dimensional, even though it’s just ink on paper. Look up cross-hatching to see how artists use lines to build depth.