1747
graphite
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
The Round Temple on the Piazza Bocca della Verità, Rome is a 1747 graphite by Joseph-Marie Vien, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a small, open-air temple with a curved roof and thick columns. In front, a lone figure stands near a low wall, while a river or canal runs along the bottom. The background has a few simple buildings and trees, all drawn in loose, sketchy lines. The temple’s name, *Bocca della Verità* ("Mouth of Truth"), hints at its famous legend—people once placed their hand in it to swear an oath. The artist used quick, light strokes to capture the scene’s mood. Next, check out the Baroque movement for more dramatic, lively drawings like this one.
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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