The Vatican Obelisk
1550
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Italian 16th Century
A 16th-century Italian sculptor left us small bronze works in dark brown and gold.
See the richer artist page1550
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Vatican Obelisk is a 1550 ink by Italian 16th Century, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a tall obelisk standing on a square base. The lines are crisp and precise. Tiny figures stand at the base, making the towering stone look even taller. The artist used cross-hatching to shade the sky and ground. This creates depth so the obelisk feels real. The work is unsigned, so we don’t know who made it. Look up the technique of cross-hatching to see how artists create shadows with lines.
A 16th-century Italian sculptor left us small bronze works in dark brown and gold.
See the richer artist page
