Borghese vaas 1688 - 1698

This undated drawing presents a Borghese vase, rendered with lines and a muted palette of grey and hints of reddish brown. The vase's structure is defined by a bulbous body, a fluted base, and a frieze populated with classical figures. The anonymous artist employs hatching to give form and volume to the vase, yet the figures on the frieze have a flatness. The vase's structure is itself a sign. Its classicized form evokes ancient virtues and aesthetics. The frieze of figures suggests a narrative, a semiotic system frozen in time. The very act of drawing—of translating a three-dimensional object into two dimensions—engages with questions of representation and perception. It's not merely a visual record, but a kind of philosophical inquiry into how we see and understand the world. Notice how the drawing, though seemingly straightforward, destabilizes our understanding. The vase, a container, becomes a surface for storytelling, and the drawing, a representation, becomes an object in its own right. This interplay of form and function invites us to consider the multiple layers of meaning embedded in this seemingly simple depiction.