plate no. 9982

View of the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina in the Campo Vaccino

oilNeoclassicismcityscapearchitecturebuildingcolumnsskyfigurescityscape

recreation guide

This recreation guide addresses the painting of Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s 'View of the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina in the Campo Vaccino.' While Piranesi is historically renowned for his etchings and aquatints, this specific medium is listed as oil. Consequently, the instructions rely on general Neoclassical oil painting practices and the specific technical advice found in the provided sources regarding glazing, scumbling, and composition. The artwork is a cityscape/topographical view, requiring a balance between architectural accuracy and atmospheric effect. The process emphasizes the 'old master' method of building color through transparent glazes over a monochrome underpainting, a technique explicitly recommended in the sources for achieving depth and harmony without muddying the colors (Source 1).

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

5 items

steps

7 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre, Vermilion)	Primary pigments for grisaille and glazing layers	Titanium White, Phthalo Blue (or Ultramarine), Carbon Black, Earth tones
Oil of Copavia (or Linseed Oil)	Medium for the first and second paintings to ensure fluidity and drying time	Stand Oil or high-quality Linseed Oil
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to increase transparency and flow	Dammar Varnish or Synthetic Resin Varnish
Canvas or Panel	Support for the oil painting	Linen canvas primed with gesso
Charcoal or Graphite	Underdrawing to establish architectural lines and perspective	Vine charcoal or soft graphite

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a smooth, white or light-toned ground. Piranesi’s work is characterized by sharp architectural lines and high contrast; a smooth surface allows for the precise rendering of the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina. Ensure the ground is completely dry before beginning. The sources emphasize that the artist must understand the 'vital qualities' of the medium, so the surface should be prepared to accept oil without absorbing it excessively, allowing for the glazing techniques described (Source 8).

underdrawing

Execute a precise underdrawing focusing on the architectural geometry of the temple and the surrounding Campo Vaccino. Piranesi’s style is defined by rigorous perspective and detailed architectural observation. Use charcoal or a thin wash to map out the 'line' and 'shape' elements of design, ensuring the central visual element (the temple) is established. Avoid heavy pressure to prevent indenting the canvas, which could interfere with subsequent glazing layers (Source 3).

underpainting

Create a grisaille (monochrome underpainting) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. This step establishes the value structure (light and shadow) of the scene. As per Sir Joshua Reynolds’ method cited in the sources, this first painting should focus on the 'broad masses' and tonal relationships, mentally extracting red and yellow colors to translate what would be left in nature if those hues were absent (Source 1). This ensures the structural integrity of the cityscape before color is introduced.

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure Ultramarine

Shadows and cool tones in the grisaille and subsequent glazes

White

Lead White or Titanium White

Highlights and mixing with black/ultramarine for grisaille

Black

Ivory Black or Carbon Black

Deep shadows and defining architectural lines in the grisaille

Yellow Ochre/Red Ochre

Earth tones

Glazing to introduce warm tones to the stone and sky, simulating the 'yellow and red tones' mentioned in the sources

Vermilion/Red Lake

Transparent red pigment

Glazing to add warmth and depth to sunlit areas

composition

The composition should feature a clear center of interest—the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina—positioned off-center to avoid exact bisection of the picture space (Source 4). The horizon line should be positioned to emphasize either the sky or the ground, likely favoring the ground to showcase the architectural details of the Campo Vaccino. Use 'line' to guide the viewer’s eye through the ruins and figures, ensuring the gaze moves around all elements before leading out of the picture (Source 4). Avoid making spaces between objects identical to create visual interest (Source 4).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the architectural forms of the temple and surrounding ruins with charcoal, focusing on accurate perspective and proportion.
Tip — Ensure lines are light enough to be covered by subsequent layers.
Linear Perspective

underpainting

step 02
Apply a grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia. Establish the full range of values from deep shadows to bright highlights.
Tip — Mentally exclude red and yellow colors, focusing only on tonal values (Source 1).
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Begin glazing with transparent oil colors, starting with yellow and red tones to warm up the sunlit areas.
Tip — Apply thin, transparent coats of color, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors (Source 1).
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) over darker grounds to create coldness or grey blooms, particularly in shadowed areas or distant background elements.
Tip — Observe how the underlying painting shows through the semi-opaque layer (Source 1).
Scumbling
step 05
Adjust colors based on simultaneous contrast. If a warm area is next to a cool area, enhance the contrast by slightly shifting the hues to their complements.
Tip — Be aware that the eye may perceive colors inaccurately due to fatigue or previous viewing; check colors against a neutral background (Source 2).
Simultaneous Contrast

finishing

step 06
Add final details and highlights. Ensure the center of interest remains prominent and that the composition leads the eye effectively.
Tip — Use detailed areas and 'rest' areas to guide the viewer’s eye (Source 4).
Detailing

varnishing

step 07
Apply a final varnish to protect the painting and unify the glazes.
Tip — Ensure the painting is completely dry before varnishing.
Varnishing

critical techniques

Glazing

Applying transparent coats of color over a dry underpainting to build depth and luminosity. This method was practiced by old masters and is recommended for achieving rich, complex colors without muddiness (Source 1).

Scumbling

Using semi-opaque paint over a darker ground to create cool tones or grey blooms. This technique allows the underlying structure to influence the final color (Source 1).

Simultaneous Contrast

Adjusting colors based on their interaction with adjacent hues. This ensures that colors appear true to life and harmonious within the composition (Source 2).

common pitfalls

→Muddying colors by mixing too many pigments on the palette instead of using glazes (Source 1).
→Ignoring the effects of simultaneous contrast, leading to inaccurate color perception and disharmony (Source 2).
→Creating a static composition by bisecting the picture space or placing the subject dead-center (Source 4).
→Over-modeling or becoming too tied to the outline, which can make the painting appear stiff (Source 7).
→Attempting to deceive the eye with mere naturalism rather than expressing the 'vital qualities' of the medium (Source 8).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific details of the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina’s appearance in this particular painting (e.g., exact state of ruin, presence of figures) are not described in the sources.
·Piranesi’s specific oil painting techniques are not well-documented in the provided sources, which focus on general old master practices.
·The exact year of the artwork is not available, making it difficult to pinpoint specific period conventions beyond general Neoclassicism.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Glazing and scumbling techniques, grisaille underpainting
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on avoiding over-modeling and smallness
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 315-318 — applied to Color harmony and simultaneous contrast
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Understanding the medium and avoiding mere naturalism