The Forno inside the Walls of the Vatican 1744 - 1750

Joseph Marie Vien made this sketch of ‘The Forno inside the Walls of the Vatican’ with graphite on paper. It's a seemingly simple drawing, yet the material itself – graphite – carries a fascinating story. Graphite, a form of carbon, becomes a tool for capturing light and shadow, mass and volume. The artist’s hand, guided by eye, coaxes this humble material to evoke the texture of stone and the angles of the architecture. Notice the marks left on the page, how they vary in pressure and direction, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere. Vien masterfully uses hatching and cross-hatching to build up tones, giving the scene a palpable sense of form. This drawing invites us to consider the power of simple materials and direct, skilled execution. It blurs the lines between high art and craft, demonstrating how a simple sketch can convey volumes.