Artwork
Travellers among Roman Ruins
Travellers among Roman Ruins is an ink drawing by the Renaissance artist Pieter Stevens. It dates from 1596 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Travellers among Roman Ruins is a 1596 drawing by Pieter Stevens II, a Flemish artist known for his landscapes. Created with pen, brown ink, and colored washes, the work is incised for transfer, indicating its intended use as a source for prints.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts travelers in elaborate attire strolling past ancient Roman ruins, including broken columns and crumbling structures. A figure in red gestures towards an arch, drawing attention to the classical remains.
Technique & Style
Stevens employed a range of techniques, combining pen and ink with red-brown and blue washes to achieve a sense of depth and atmosphere. The soft blue washes, in particular, create a sense of distance, fading the ruins into the background.
History & Provenance
Created during Stevens' time in Italy, the drawing reflects his engagement with the visual traditions of Roman antiquity. Later, back in Flanders and working at the court of Emperor Rudolf II in Prague, Stevens' drawings were used by other artists to produce prints.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pieter Stevens II or Peter Stevens II (ca. 1567 in Mechelen – after 1626 in Prague) was a Flemish painter and draughtsman known for his landscapes. He left Flanders to work for the court of Emperor Rudolf II in Prague.…
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