A Stone Bridge and the Fortified Entrance to a Town
1744/1750
Medium
graphite on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet: 13 x 18.9 cm (5 1/8 x 7 7/16 in.) page size: 42.5 x 27.7 cm (16 3/4 x 10 7/8 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Mark J. Millard Architectural Collection
Accession Number
1983.49.173
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the National Gallery of Art, where we spotlight *A Stone Bridge and the Fortified to a Town*, a delicate graphite drawing by Joseph-Marie Vien from around 1744–1750. Vien, a pioneering French artist (1716–1809) and mentor to Jacques-Louis David, was bridging Rococo elegance toward Neoclassicism during this period. Fresh from his formative travels in Italy, he captured architectural motifs inspired by ancient Roman ruins and medieval fortifications, blending precise observation with emerging classical ideals. Executed on laid paper—a textured 18th-century support with visible chain ...
About the Artist
Joseph-Marie Vien · 1716–1809
Joseph-Marie Vien (1716–1809) was born on 18 June in Montpellier, France, into a modest family, emerging as a child prodigy in painting. As a protégé of the Comte de Caylus, he entered the studio of Charles-Joseph Natoire at an early age, honing his skills in history painting. Winning the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1743, Vien traveled to Italy in 1744, spending six formative years in Rome studyin...