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Lot Essay
Hubert Robert partit en Italie dès 1754 et devint pensionnaire de l'Académie de France à Rome à partir de 1759, date du présent dessin. Il réalisa de nombreuses vues de la ville et ses alentours, jusqu'au moment de son retour en France en 1765, dans lesquelles se retrouvent des inscriptions similaires à la plume et encre brune signées 'Roberti' (voir Christie's, Paris, 23 mars 2006, lot 312, adjugé 120,000 euros).
Depuis le Moyen Age, le Forum Romain était connu sous le nom de
Campo Vaccino car il était devenu un lieu de pâture pour les
troupeaux, ce qui semble encore être le cas lorsqu'Hubert Robert le
représente. Les bâtiments vétustes de la ferme improvisée sont adossés à un temple antique recouvert de végétation. L' inscription au bas du dessin nous renseigne sur la fonction de cette architecture à savoir probablement un entrepôt pour le salpètre, poudre utilisée pour les canons.
For the English translation of this lot note, please visit www.christies.com
Hubert Robert (Paris 1733-1808)
A farm courtyard near the Campo Vaccino in Rome
signed, dated 'Roberti 1759' and inscribed 'Salpetrière a presto Campo vaccino'
red chalk
45,4 x 34,3 cm.
Hubert Robert traveled to Italy in 1754, but only became resident of the French Academy in Rome from 1759, the year when he made this drawing. There he executed numerous views of the city and its surroundings, all bearing similar inscriptions in pen and ink like we find on our drawing, and similarly signed 'Roberti' (see Christie's, Paris, 23rd March 2006, lot 312).
Since the Middle Ages, the Roman Forum was known with the name of Campo Vaccino because it was used as a field for the cattle market, which seems to have still been the case when Hubert Robert was there. In this sheet the artist chooses a specific perspective, using the white wall of a building at the right as a 'repoussoir', directing the gaze of the viewer towards the old walls of a farm that is leaning against an antique temple in the background, whilst a horse is being harnessed in the foreground. The inscription informs us of the probable use of the antique building as a warehouse for saltpeter, potassium nitrate, a critical component of gun powder.
Depuis le Moyen Age, le Forum Romain était connu sous le nom de
Campo Vaccino car il était devenu un lieu de pâture pour les
troupeaux, ce qui semble encore être le cas lorsqu'Hubert Robert le
représente. Les bâtiments vétustes de la ferme improvisée sont adossés à un temple antique recouvert de végétation. L' inscription au bas du dessin nous renseigne sur la fonction de cette architecture à savoir probablement un entrepôt pour le salpètre, poudre utilisée pour les canons.
For the English translation of this lot note, please visit www.christies.com
Hubert Robert (Paris 1733-1808)
A farm courtyard near the Campo Vaccino in Rome
signed, dated 'Roberti 1759' and inscribed 'Salpetrière a presto Campo vaccino'
red chalk
45,4 x 34,3 cm.
Hubert Robert traveled to Italy in 1754, but only became resident of the French Academy in Rome from 1759, the year when he made this drawing. There he executed numerous views of the city and its surroundings, all bearing similar inscriptions in pen and ink like we find on our drawing, and similarly signed 'Roberti' (see Christie's, Paris, 23rd March 2006, lot 312).
Since the Middle Ages, the Roman Forum was known with the name of Campo Vaccino because it was used as a field for the cattle market, which seems to have still been the case when Hubert Robert was there. In this sheet the artist chooses a specific perspective, using the white wall of a building at the right as a 'repoussoir', directing the gaze of the viewer towards the old walls of a farm that is leaning against an antique temple in the background, whilst a horse is being harnessed in the foreground. The inscription informs us of the probable use of the antique building as a warehouse for saltpeter, potassium nitrate, a critical component of gun powder.