Third View of the Colosseum
1550
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1550
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This black-and-white drawing shows the Colosseum, the big ancient arena in Rome. The walls are crumbling, with arches and broken columns everywhere. Small trees and bushes grow around the ruins, and a few tiny figures walk near the bottom. The artist used a sharp tool to scratch lines into metal, then ink filled them. This made the dark lines stand out on light paper. The title says it’s the "Third View," meaning there are at least two other drawings like this. Next, check out how etching works—this is the technique used here.
