View of the Forum
1550
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1550
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This black-and-white print shows a crowded cityscape packed with ruins. Broken columns, arches, and crumbling walls fill the foreground, while a mix of small buildings and a tower loom in the background. A few tiny figures walk among the ruins, giving a sense of scale to the massive stone structures. The title at the top reads *"Prospectus Colossaei"*—this is a view of an ancient Roman city. The artist used sharp lines to show every crack and shadow, making the ruins look almost three-dimensional. Next, look up etching to see how artists like this one carved images into metal plates.
