A Reconstruction of the Thermae of Nero (above) and a View of the Ruins (below)
before 1704
Medium
Pen and black ink, brush and gray wash, over red chalk
Dimensions
13 1/16 x 8 in. (33.2 x 20.3 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Helen and János Scholz, 1958
Accession Number
58.648.2(29)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Jan Goeree’s drawing presents a fascinating juxtaposition of imagination and observation. The upper section offers a detailed reconstruction of the Thermae of Nero, the grand Roman bath complex, while the lower portion depicts the actual ruins as they appeared in Goeree’s time. Created before 1704, the work reflects the period’s growing interest in classical antiquity, when artists and scholars sought to visualize the splendor of ancient Rome through careful study of surviving fragments. Executed in pen and black ink with gray wash over red chalk, the medium allows for both precise architectu...
About the Artist
Jan Goeree · 1670–1731
Comment on works: Painter; Draughtsman; Engraver; History; Subjects in landscapes