Fifth View of the Colosseum
1550
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From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1550
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This print shows the ruins of a crumbling stone building, half-buried in overgrown plants. The walls are cracked and broken, with arches and columns still standing but leaning. Trees sprout from cracks in the walls, and the ground is uneven, covered in small bushes and weeds. The artist used lines to show depth, making the ruins look three-dimensional. The title at the top says it’s the Colosseum, a famous ancient Roman arena. Next, look up etching to see how this technique works.
