Thomas Groves

This drawing depicts the Pont du Gard, the highest and best preserved of ancient Roman aqueduct bridges, located on the outskirts of the French city of Nîmes. Thomas Groves, a British architect, traveled in Europe to study the remains of Roman architecture, creating meticulous drawings of what he saw. He devoted considerable care to depicting this bridge with accuracy and precision, including the irregular surfaces and protruding rocks. He found the natural setting no less important, for it conveys the sense of monumental grandeur. Though Groves must have carefully studied the bridge on site, the large size and the finish of this watercolor suggest that he completed it in his studio.