Colosseum 1610 - 1657

Bartholomeus Breenbergh's "Colosseum" (1610 - 1657) depicts the grandeur of the Roman Colosseum in a haunting state of ruin, showcasing the artist's interest in the remnants of classical architecture. The drawing, rendered in brown wash on paper, uses delicate lines and subtle shading to evoke the monumental structure's decaying beauty. The crumbling arches and overgrown foliage create a sense of time's passage and nature's reclaiming of human-made structures, themes explored in the Italianate landscape genre. This drawing, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a testament to Breenbergh's keen eye for detail and his fascination with the architectural legacy of the ancient world.