1550
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Temple of Augustus and Faustina, the Temple of Divus Romulus, and the Basilica of Constantine is a 1550 ink by Hieronymus Cock, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This etching shows old stone ruins with crumbling arches and broken walls. In the middle stands a tall, narrow tower with a simple roof. People walk around the ruins, some carrying tools or baskets, while others stand still. The ground is uneven, with scattered rocks and patches of grass. Notice how the artist used shading to make the ruins look three-dimensional, even though it’s just black lines on paper. The title tells us these buildings were once important temples in Rome. Want to see more works like this? Look up etching to learn how artists create depth with just lines.
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.
See the richer artist page
