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The image shows the interior of a cave looking out towards an architectural structure. The view includes the cave's rocks, foliage, the architectural columns and archways, and the sky with clouds peeking through an arch. The colors used are soft browns, greens, whites, blues, and reds. The cave rocks are rough and moss-covered, while the architectural elements are precise and detailed. The color palette combines earth tones with muted architectural colors.
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The image shows the interior of a cave looking out towards an architectural structure. The view includes the cave's rocks, foliage, the architectural columns and archways, and the sky with clouds peeking through an arch. The colors used are soft browns, greens, whites, blues, and reds. The cave rocks are rough and moss-covered, while the architectural elements are precise and detailed. The color palette combines earth tones with muted architectural colors.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

Architectural Fantasy: Ruins of a Circular Temple Seen through a Natural Arch

Pierre-Adrien Pâris

Date
c. 1785
Medium
pen and black ink with watercolor and gouache over graphite on laid paper
Dimensions
overall: 39.3 x 50 cm (15 1/2 x 19 11/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
2004.111.1
Credit line
New Century Fund
Time span
1776 to 1800
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • French
  • exterior
  • architecture
Provenance

(Didier Aaron & Cie, Paris); purchased by NGA, 2004.

Watermarks

beehive in a shield

NGA object ID 130226. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.