Les Soirees de Rome (Frontispiece, plate one from Evenings in Rome)
1763/64
Medium
Etching in black on off-white laid paper, tipped onto tan laid paper
Dimensions
Image: 12.5 × 8.3 cm (4 15/16 × 3 5/16 in.); Plate: 15.3 × 10 cm (6 1/16 × 3 15/16 in.); Primary support: 15.7 × 10.3 cm (6 3/16 × 4 1/16 in.); Secondary support: 21.8 × 14.1 cm (8 5/8 × 5 9/16 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
205642
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
**Les Soirées de Rome (Frontispiece, Plate from *Evenings in Rome*) Created by French artist Hubert Robert in 3/64, this captures the enchanting spirit of Rome during the artist's formative years in Italy. Robert, often called "Robert des Ru" for his evocative depictions of ancient architecture, produced this as the frontispiece for a series evoking leisurely "evenings in Rome." At the time, Robert was immersed in the city's classical heritage as a Prix de Rome pensioner, blending neoclassical reverence with romantic imagination—a hallmark of his style that influenced 18th-century European taste for picturesque antiquity. Rendered in black ink on off-white laid paper and tipped onto tan laid paper, the etching measures a intimate 12.5 × 8.3 cm for the image alone. Etching's precision, achieved by acid biting into a metal plate, allowed Robert to render fine lines and atmospheric depth, ideal for reproducing intricate Roman vignettes. Prints like this were vital in the pre-photography era, enabling collectors across Europe to own glimpses of the Grand Tour's allure. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings Department, this delicate work highlights how 18th-century printmaking democratized art, inviting visitors to savor Rome's timeless evenings from afar. A gem for lovers of history and technique! (198 words)
About the Artist
Hubert Robert · 1733–1808
Hubert Robert, born on May 22, 1733, in Paris, emerged from a modest background; his father, Nicolas Robert, served the influential Choiseul family, whose patronage shaped the young artist's path. After completing his studies at the Jesuit Collège de Navarre in 1751, he entered the atelier of sculptor Michel-Ange Slodtz, who taught him design and perspective before encouraging a shift to painting....