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The Gardens of the Villa Medici

Gaspar van Wittel

National Gallery of Art

The image shows a preliminary sketch on light-colored paper. The sketch features finely detailed linework of trees with swirling strokes for leaves and branches. The horizon is not clearly defined, suggesting a landscape extending beyond. The brushstrokes are deliberate and controlled, with varied thicknesses for depth and texture. The color palette is muted, mainly beige paper and sepia ink. On the right side, there are two simpler sketches of furniture with faint, precise lines for contrast with the organic tree forms.

Artwork Details

Date
1710-1720
Medium
pen and brown ink and graphite on two joined sheets of laid paper
Dimensions
10107 × 4924 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
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