A courtyard near the Campo Vaccino in Rome 1759

Hubert Robert made this drawing of a courtyard near the Campo Vaccino in Rome, using pen and sanguine ink on paper. Sanguine ink, derived from iron oxide, lends the artwork its warm, reddish-brown hue, reminiscent of the earth and classical antiquity. Robert masterfully captures the textures of aged stone, weathered wood, and the roughness of everyday life through the medium of drawing, with visible strokes and cross-hatching to create depth and volume. The artist's labor is evident in each line, carefully laid down to depict the scene's intricate details. In this drawing, the artist engages with the skilled tradition of plein air drawing, bringing the materiality of the urban environment into the domain of fine art. The process involved a direct engagement with place, and we see the artist attempting to transcribe the decay of the buildings. This attention to the tactile realities of the everyday challenges traditional distinctions between high art and craft.