The Forum of Trajan, Rome
late 18th–mid-19th century
Medium
Drawing in pen and ink and gray wash
Dimensions
3 1/16 x 4 3/16in. (7.8 x 10.6cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Alexander B.V. Johnson and Roberta J.M. Olson, 1996
Accession Number
1996.582.6.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 18th century, artist Giovanni Battista Cipri captured the majestic ruins of the Forum of Trajan in Rome this delicate drawing in pen and ink heightened with gray wash. Measuring just 3 1/16 x 4 3/16 inches, this work from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department offers a window into one of ancient Rome's grandest architectural complexes, built between 107 and 113 CE under Emperor Trajan. The forum, with its towering basilica, libraries and the iconic Trajan's Column commemorating his Dacian victories, symbolized imperial power and urban innovation—once a bust...
About the Artist
Giovanni Battista Cipriani · 1766–1839
Giovanni Battista Cipriani was born on April 20, 1766, in Siena, Italy, to Simon Pietro Cipriani and Eva Bandini. He grew up alongside his brothers Barbato, a sculptor, and Galgano, an engraver, in a family immersed in the arts. Cipriani began his education studying Latin and mathematics before pursuing fine arts under the sculptor and architect Giuseppe Silini in Siena.) His talent earned him a p...