The Amphitheater of Vespasian, known as the Colosseum 1641

Curator: This is Giacomo Lauro's depiction of "The Amphitheater of Vespasian, known as the Colosseum" currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. The plate measures about 18 by 23 centimeters. Editor: It’s a somber image. All those ordered arches and precisely rendered stones—they speak of both imperial power and the weight of history. Curator: Look at the detail in the rendering of the structure. The etching really emphasizes the labor and materials needed for its construction. So many hands involved in quarrying, transporting, and assembling all that travertine. Editor: And consider the symbolic implications of that immense space. It was a stage for spectacles of violence, reflecting the values and entertainment of Roman society. Curator: It’s fascinating to consider how this image, itself a commodity, further propagated the Colosseum's iconic status and its consumption as a symbol of Roman grandeur. Editor: Indeed. Seeing it this way prompts reflection on how empires use spectacle to imprint themselves on the cultural memory. Curator: I find myself appreciating the artist's labor that went into the printmaking process. Editor: And I'm left contemplating the Colosseum’s lasting impact on our cultural imagination.