Bust of Raphael`s Church in the Round 

This is Giovanni Battista Piranesi's "Bust of Raphael's Church in the Round," rendered in ink. The composition is immediately striking in its simplicity and elegance. Encased in a delicate oval frame, the figures of Mary and the Christ Child emerge through the stark contrast of light and shadow, achieved with dense, cross-hatched lines. Piranesi’s masterful use of line directs our gaze, capturing the tender interaction between the two figures. Piranesi, primarily known for his etchings of Roman architecture, here departs to explore figuration. Yet, a sense of architectural structure underlies this work too, in the rhythmic interplay of light and shadow creating a dynamic but stable form. The oval becomes not just a boundary but a lens through which we contemplate the balance of form, line, and space. This is not a static image but a study in structure and form, inviting ongoing interpretation.