The Grotto of the Nymph Egeria

1744/1750

Joseph-Marie Vien

Associated Names
Joseph-Marie Vien

Artist, French, 1716 - 1809

The image shows a structure in a natural setting. The horizon is not clearly defined, and the top of the structure aligns approximately with where it would be. Trees and parts of the structure rise upwards. The scene includes ruins or old masonry with arched doorways, enveloped by clusters of trees blending into the structure’s upper edges. The brushstrokes consist of soft, sketchy lines in shades of grey, using cross-hatching and layering for depth and texture. The color palette is dominated by black and white, creating a monochrome portrayal focusing on form and shadow. The ground close to us is uneven with dark patches, while the distance shows indistinct lines and shapes depicting foliage.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    graphite on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Mark J. Millard Architectural Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet: 11.8 x 18 cm (4 5/8 x 7 1/16 in.)
    page size: 42.5 x 27.7 cm (16 3/4 x 10 7/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1983.49.191

Associated Artworks

See all 54 artworks
The image portrays an architectural ruin with a view of vertical elements such as a classical column and an arch. A statue is visible in a niche on the left. The brushstrokes are detailed, capturing the intricacies of the column and flowing water from a fountain. The color palette includes earthy browns, grays, subtle greens, and pale blue-gray. Water in the fountain is depicted with whites and blues. The scene conveys textures of aged stone and flowing water.

Fountain in a Courtyard

Charles Louis Clérisseau

1768

Album of Drawings of Rome and the Surrounding Countryside

Joseph-Marie Vien, Charles Louis Clérisseau

1744

This is a drawing of an architectural column detail. The drawing showcases the intricate design of a Corinthian column capital, featuring acanthus leaves and volutes typical of this classical style. The upper portion includes the entablature with detailed measurements noted on the sides. The shading and line work emphasize precision and detail, focusing on the decorative and structural elements of the Corinthian order.

L'Ordre Corinthian

Charles Louis Clérisseau

1768


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Antonio Cesare Poggi (died c. 1836; Lugt 617); Charles Edouard Mewes; Mark J. Millard, New York; purchased by NGA, 1983.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1988

  • Gaehtgens, Thomas W. and Jacques Lugand. Joseph-Marie Vien Peintre du Roi (1716-1809). Paris, 1988, 132-133, no. 17a (all Vien drawings repr.)

1993

  • Wiebenson, Dora and Claire Baines. The Mark J. Millard Architectural Collection, Volume I, French Books Sixteenth through Nineteenth Centuries. Washington, DC, 1993, no. 53 (1983.49.187 repr.).

Wikidata ID

Q64591495

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