Sketches of Corinthian Capitals
Medium
Pen and brown ink, on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
28.1 × 19.7 cm (11 1/8 × 7 13/16 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
82350
Art Historical Context
Giovanni Paolo Panini, an acclaimed 18th-century Italian and architect, captured the of classical antiquity in his *Sketches of Corinth Capitals*. These precise studies, rendered in pen and brown ink on ivory laid paper, the ornate Corinthian order—a hallmark of ancient Greek and Roman architecture known for its scrolling acanthus leaves and slender proportions. Measuring a modest 28.1 × 19.7 cm, the drawings reflect Panini's deep fascination with Rome's ruins during the height of the Grand Tour era, when European artists and travelers flocked to Italy to study and revive classical forms. Pan...
About the Artist
Giovanni Paolo Panini · 1691–1765
Italian painter, Rome. Comment on works: Ruins; Religious; History