Sheet of Sketches: Six Figures 1768 - 1778

Giovanni Battista Piranesi created this sheet of sketches, Six Figures, with pen and brown ink wash, sometime in the 18th century. The composition divides the figures in the picture plane, creating an active rhythm with the alternation of forms across the horizontal axis. Piranesi's use of hatching and cross-hatching is quite evident in his construction of volumes. The marks are not just descriptive but are expressive, suggesting movement and the fleeting nature of the sketch. Notice, in particular, how the artist uses a range of tonal variations, from light to dark, to describe the drapery and anatomy of the figures. Considered within the context of Enlightenment thought, Piranesi's approach to sketching may be seen as an exploration of perception and the representation of reality. The sketch format allowed artists to engage directly with the visual world. It’s an invitation to consider the fluid nature of meaning, and to appreciate the sketch as a site of experimentation, where ideas are formed and reformed in real time.