Grotto from the Gardens of the Farnese Palace at Caprarola, Preparatory Study for the 'Oeuvres Complètes de Jacques Barozzi de Vignole'

François Debret|Jacopo [Giacomo] Barozzi da Vignola

1815–23 · Pen and black ink over graphite underdrawing, pink, gray and yellow watercolor · Drawings and Prints

Architectural drawing of one of the grottoes in the gardens the Farnese palace of Caprarola. It presents three views placed one above the other: one section of the wall, a floor plan, and the frontal elevation. The drawing is a preparatory study for an overview portfolio of the works of the Italian Renaissance architect Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola. The hatching for the printing process has been indicated meticulously and certain parts of the drawing have been embellished with water color. Inscriptions are added by hand and include precise measurements of the individual architectural elements. Francois Debret was a student of the famous architect duo Percier and Fontaine. Aside from working as an architect in his own right, Debret was also named the chief architect and inspector general of civil buildings of the city of Paris, in which capacity he restored and maintained some of the city’s most important architectural monuments.

Artist

François Debret|Jacopo [Giacomo] Barozzi da Vignola

Date

1815–23

Medium

Pen and black ink over graphite underdrawing, pink, gray and yellow watercolor

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Edward Pearce Casey Fund, 2016