Eighteen Views of Rome: The Piazza Colonna
1664
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1664
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You’re looking at a busy Roman square, the Piazza Colonna, packed with tiny people, horses, and carriages. The tall column in the center stands out, and the buildings around it have the kind of details that make you squint to take it all in. Cruyl made this in 1664, but he wasn’t Italian—he was Flemish, working far from home. He drew eighteen views of Rome like this one, almost like a tourist’s sketchbook, but with a draftsman’s sharp eye. The way he fits so much life into one scene feels almost like a snapshot. If you like this, check out other works in the subject: flanders—they often mix faraway places with homegrown precision.
![Piazza Colonna from "Prospectus Locurum Urbis Romae Insign[ium]"](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/4b674f0f1b994d08/thumb.webp)
