Ruins of the Imperial Palaces on the Palatine Hill
1747
graphite
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1747
graphite
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows crumbling stone walls and arches, half-buried in earth. Tall, scraggly trees lean over the ruins, their branches tangled in the air. The ground is rough, with patches of shadow and light playing across the broken stones. Everything is drawn in quick, dark lines, leaving some areas lightly shaded. The artist focused on decay—how nature slowly takes over old buildings. This style was common in the 1700s when people studied ruins as reminders of history. Next, check out the Baroque movement to see how artists used drama and light in their work.
