Ruins of the Temple of Venus and Rome in the Forum
1747
graphite
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1747
graphite
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Ruins of the Temple of Venus and Rome in the Forum is a 1747 graphite by Joseph-Marie Vien, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows the ruins of a large, ancient temple. The temple has a tall, arched doorway and a tower on the left side. In the foreground, there are trees and bushes. The artist used a range of lines and shading to create depth and texture in the drawing. The temple's walls and columns are detailed, with cracks and damage visible. The surrounding landscape is also carefully drawn, with individual trees and bushes depicted. To learn more about the artistic techniques used in this drawing, look up the technique of chiaroscuro.
