Figures in a Landscape with Columns and a Statue
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-497-3
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Hubert Robert, a masterful French artist (1733–1808) often called "Robert des Ruines," created *Figures in a Landscape with and a Statue* around 1763–64. This evocative print captures his signature style: vast, atmospheric landscapes dotted with classical ruins, evoking the grandeur of ancient Rome. Produced during or just after his formative years in Italy (1755–1764), where he sketched real antiquities like the Colosseum and temples, the work features elegant columns, a solitary statue, and wandering figures, blending human scale with monumental decay. As a print in the Smithsonian American...