Artwork
Eighth View of the Colosseum
Eighth View of the Colosseum is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Hieronymus Cock. It dates from 1550 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:upper right in plate: .G.; lower right in plate: COLOSSAEI.RO.PROSPECTVS.8.; lower left in plate: H COCK F 1550 (in reverse)
About this work
Overview
Eighth View of the Colosseum is an etching on laid paper created around 1550 by Hieronymus Cock, a Flemish artist and influential print publisher.
Subject & Meaning
The etching depicts the ancient Roman Colosseum from a distinctive vantage point, with the structure's arches and columns shown in various states of decay, and figures in the foreground engaged in different activities.
Technique & Style
The work is characterized by intricate lines and shading, which convey depth, texture, and the interplay of light and shadow on the Colosseum's surface, suggesting a meticulous approach to the etching technique.
History & Provenance
Hieronymus Cock's publishing house was instrumental in commercializing printmaking, producing over 1,100 prints during his lifetime, with Eighth View of the Colosseum being one of his own limited artistic outputs.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Hieronymus Cock, or Hieronymus Wellens de Cock, (1518 – 3 October 1570) was a Flemish painter and etcher as well as a publisher and distributor of prints.
