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Wikimedia Commons · CC0 · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original fileThe sheet displays several rapid sketches capturing details of ancient Roman structures, accompanied by precise measurements. On the left, a multi-tiered base features figures standing within arched niches, while the right side shows a soldier in a crested helmet in profile. Various annotations and scale markers indicate a technical interest in the exact proportions of classical monuments.
These studies reflect the Renaissance project to recover and systematize the architectural principles of Greco-Roman antiquity. Influenced by the rediscovery of Vitruvius, such drawings represent the belief that architectural harmony mirrors the mathematical order of the cosmos, a core tenet of Renaissance Neoplatonism and natural philosophy.
p 4 di p 1 1/2 p 2 d 11 d 3 d 1 1/2 Desegno fato a Roma D. I. Perino 2 8
Translation
p 4 (4 palms) di (fingers) p 1 1/2 (1 1/2 palms) p 2 d 11 (2 palms, 11 fingers) Drawing made in Rome
Vitruvius
Raphael studied and illustrated the works of Vitruvius to understand the 'divine' proportions of ancient architecture.
Object
Oil on panel
architectural
Digital Source
Wikimedia Commons · CC0
This file was donated to Wikimedia Commons as part of a project by the National Gallery of Art. Please see the Gallery's Open Access Policy.
4000 × 3114 px
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 2, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.