View of the Arch of Constantine with the Colosseum 

This painting of the Arch of Constantine with the Colosseum was made by Canaletto using oil on canvas. Look closely, and you’ll see how Canaletto revels in the materiality of the Roman architecture. The immense weight of the stones, their rough-hewn textures, are all rendered with careful detail. You might consider too, the labor involved in extracting, transporting, and carving these massive blocks. The arch, built in antiquity, speaks to the power of the Roman empire and its reliance on both skilled craftsmanship and enslaved labor. Canaletto highlights the contrast between the grandeur of the ancient structures and the everyday life bustling around them, complete with figures of the working class going about their business in the foreground. By emphasizing these contrasts, Canaletto compels us to consider the legacies of power, labor, and the enduring impact of materials on our cultural landscape. It reminds us that the art of painting, like the architecture it depicts, is itself a product of skill, labor, and historical context.