Tivoli
1922
Medium
graphite on laid paper
Dimensions
overall: 23.1 x 33.8 cm (9 1/8 x 13 5/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.980
Art Historical Context
**Tivoli**1922) by British artist Robert Austin is a delicate graphite drawing on laid paper, measuring 23.1 x 33.8 cm. Created when Austin was in his late twenties, this work captures the artist's early mastery of line and tone during the interwar period, a time when draughtsmanship bridged traditional techniques with modern sensibilities. Tivoli, evoking the historic Italian gardens and ruins near Rome, likely served as a study in light, architecture, and landscape—subjects that resonated with artists traveling Europe post-World War I. Graphite on laid paper highlights Austin's precision: t...
About the Artist
Robert Austin
Robert Sargent Austin RA PPRWS PPRE (1895–1973) was a preeminent British engraver, draughtsman, illustrator, and painter, born in Leicester, England, where his prodigious talent emerged early—at just eight years old, he exhibited with the Royal Drawing Society.) He trained first at the Leicester Municipal School of Art from 1909 to 1913, then at the Royal College of Art from 1914–1916 and 1919–192...