Recto: The Port City of Alexandria (? Allusion to Dinocrates's Building of Alexandria, Vitruvius, Book 2, introduction, no. 1); Verso: Fragmentary Writing ("Libro Primo..."). 1530 - 1545

This pen and brown ink drawing, made by the Sangallo family around 1510-1520, presents a bird’s-eye view of what is believed to be the port city of Alexandria. The composition is structured by a winding waterway that leads the eye from the foreground up toward the horizon, where faint structures suggest an expansive cityscape. The density of linework varies, creating depth and texture, particularly in the rendering of the buildings. This technique invites us to consider how the organization of space and the distribution of architectural forms might reflect the city's social and political order. The drawing employs a semiotic system of signs, where architectural elements, bodies of water, and landscape features serve as codes. The Sangallo family uses a combination of close visual analysis and theoretical engagement to understand how artworks communicate ideas. The consistent re-interpretation of space, as seen in the drawing, emphasizes how art and architecture are not static representations but are constantly being re-evaluated.