1747
graphite
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Roman Walls is a 1747 graphite by Joseph-Marie Vien, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a rough, sketchy drawing of ruins—crumbling walls, arches, and broken columns. The lines are loose and uneven, like quick notes jotted down. Shadows and light play across the shapes, but it’s all very simple and unfinished. The artist seems to focus on texture, using graphite to show how the stone wears away. It looks like they were experimenting with shading to make the ruins feel real. Next, check out the technique: chiaroscuro to see how light and shadow create depth.
Joseph-Marie Vien (18 June 1716 – 27 March 1809) was a French painter. He was the last holder of the post of Premier peintre du Roi, serving from 1789 to 1791, before it was abolished during the French Revolution.
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