A View of the Stairs of the Vatican
1766
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1766
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a grand staircase rising into shadow, flanked by columns and arches. The steps look endless, lit by a soft glow from above. Blondel never actually visited the Vatican—he drew this from descriptions. The print was made with mezzotint, a technique that carves tiny dots into metal to create deep, velvety blacks. It gives the scene a dramatic, almost theatrical mood. If you like how light and shadow play here, look up *chiaroscuro*.
