Artwork

View near Rosora di Serra San Quirico

View near Rosora di Serra San Quirico, by Gherardo Cibo, ink, 1556
View near Rosora di Serra San Quirico, by Gherardo Cibo, ink, 1556

View near Rosora di Serra San Quirico is an ink drawing by the Renaissance artist Gherardo Cibo. It dates from 1556 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1556, *View near Rosora di Serra San Quirico* is a drawing by Gherardo Cibo, executed in pen and brown ink, brown wash, and white highlights on blue laid paper.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing depicts a serene rural landscape with a winding path, small stone building, trees (some flowering), a distant hilltop structure with a fence, a walking figure, and grazing sheep, blending Cibo's interests in nature and topography.

Technique & Style

Cibo employed thin, quick lines for the initial sketch, layering darker brown washes for depth and adding white highlights. The blue paper substrate is visible in some areas, contributing to the work's tonal quality.

History & Provenance

Gherardo Cibo, an Italian herbalist and artist from a wealthy Genoese family connected to the Duke of Urbino, also worked under the name Ulisse Severini da Cingoli. His dual focus on botany and landscape is characteristic of his oeuvre.

Context

This piece reflects 16th-century Italian artistic tendencies that merged detailed observation of nature with broader landscape compositions, often for patrons of noble lineage.

Legacy

While specific legacy details of *View near Rosora di Serra San Quirico* are not provided, Cibo's works generally contribute to the understanding of Renaissance intersections between art, botany, and topographical representation.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Gherardo Cibo

Artist

Gherardo Cibo

Gherardo Cibo, also known by the alias of Ulisse Severini da Cingoli (1512 − 30 January 1600), was an artist and a herbalist from Italy.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.