Gezicht op een amfitheater waarschijnlijk het Colosseum c. 1561 - 1600

This image of what is likely the Colosseum was made by Johannes or Lucas van Doetechum using etching. The print presents us with a stark ruin dominated by the use of line, form, and the interplay of light and shadow to create a sense of depth and decay. The monumental structure is rendered through dense cross-hatching, which accentuates its rough texture and eroded surfaces. The composition guides the eye upwards, following the arches and crumbling walls. The image's strength lies in its structural articulation. We see how line and form destabilize the established idea of Roman grandeur. Through a semiotic lens, the image can be interpreted as a sign of transience, with the ruins standing in stark contrast to their original purpose. The presence of small figures at the base of the amphitheater further emphasizes the scale of the ruins and the passage of time, adding layers of meaning to the decay. The etching becomes a meditation on history, memory, and the inevitable entropy of human creation.