Colonnade of the Casino of the Villa Albani, in Rome

Cardinal Albani owned a famous collection of antique statues, which was displayed in his luxurious villa. Artists in training were invited to draw in this private museum, as reflected by the young man sketching on the left. Hubert Robert, an architectural draughtsman, had a keen eye for detail: even the veins of the marble columns are visible. He enlivened the scene with elegant figures.