Artwork
View from My Window in Rome (recto)
View from My Window in Rome (recto) is a drawing by the Romanticist artist Carl Ludwig Tischbein. It dates from 1819 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Carl Ludwig Tischbein’s early‑19th‑century drawing presents a view seen through the artist’s own window in Rome. The composition captures a modest rooftop scene, with weathered walls, tangled vegetation and a small cat perched on a ledge, all enclosed within the rectangular frame of the window opening.
Subject & Meaning
The work offers a quiet glimpse of everyday urban life beyond the artist’s studio, juxtaposing the solidity of ancient stone walls with the organic growth of garden plants. The presence of the cat adds a domestic touch, suggesting a moment of stillness amid the bustling cityscape.
Technique & Style
Executed with swift, gestural lines, the drawing conveys immediacy, as if completed in a single sitting. Tischbein employs a soft, atmospheric blending reminiscent of sfumato, allowing edges to dissolve subtly and giving the scene a muted, contemplative mood.
History & Provenance
Created while Tischbein was residing in Rome, the piece reflects the broader practice of northern European artists who gathered in the city to study its ruins and light. The drawing remains a testament to his personal observation of the Roman environment during his stay.
Artist & collection
Abandoned Park
The church of S. Francisco, Macau
Upnor Castle
The wall below the church of S. Francisco, Macau
Italian Buildings on a Hillside
Terrace by a River with a Villa and Trees Beyond
Houses and a Garden on a Hillside in Italy
Houses in Italy
Blacksmiths beneath a thatched shelter, with the church of S. Antonio, Macau
Trees Screening a House Built on Ancient Ruins
Italian Farm Buildings by a Stream