Saint Peter's Basilica and the Papal Palace
1746/1749
Medium
black chalk on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet: 12.9 x 18.5 cm (5 1/16 x 7 5/16 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
1983.49.175
Art Historical Context
Joseph-Marie Vien created this delicate black chalk drawing of Saint Peter’s Basilica and the Papal Palace while studying in Rome between 1746 and 1749. A recipient of the prestigious Prix de Rome, the young French artist used his time in Italy to record the city’s most celebrated monuments, capturing the sweeping Baroque façade of the basilica and the adjacent Vatican structures with careful observation. Rendered on laid paper in subtle black chalk, the small sheet (roughly 13 by 18 centimeters) reveals Vien’s precise draftsmanship and his fascination with architectural form and light. Suc...
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...