Section and Elevation of Trajan's Column
1544
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1544
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This engraving shows a detailed cross-section of Trajan's Column in Rome. You can see the spiral staircase inside the column and its exact measurements. The artist also drew the outer carvings that tell Trajan’s victories. This wasn’t just pretty art. It was one of the first times someone recorded the column’s hidden space. Architects still use prints like this to study old buildings. Try looking up "chiaroscuro" to see how light and shadow make this work pop.
![Ichnographia Templi Divi Petri [Plan of Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/f1844fd1b6664111/thumb.webp)
