View of the Colosseum c. 1550

Editor: This is Hieronymus Cock’s "View of the Colosseum," made around 1550. It’s an engraving, so it’s inherently reproducible, but there's such an emphasis on the Colosseum’s crumbling form, overtaken by plants. What stands out to you? Curator: The very process of reproducing this image as an engraving—its materiality—comments on the monumentality it depicts. Cock isn't just showing us the Colosseum, he's showcasing its commodification. The print allows this specific "view" to be widely consumed. Do you think the decaying state, readily apparent in its ruinous state of partial deconstruction, amplifies this? Editor: Absolutely. It’s a relic. The wear and tear almost become part of its appeal and sale. Almost a... romanticized ruin? But does this ease the viewers to grapple with the labor of the deconstruction itself? It’s clearly being scavenged. Curator: Exactly. The materiality directs us towards those very labor practices. The act of creating the engraving requires immense labour, mirroring the labour that once built and is now dismantling the Colosseum, piece by piece. Who is benefiting from its destruction, what were they doing with those scavenged materials? Editor: That’s a strong point – you are speaking of consumption through the image as well as in the consumption of the physical materials from the site. And maybe these prints fuelled that, by exoticising that labor! Curator: Precisely! And in doing so, raises key questions around class, labour, consumption, and who owns the historical narrative. The materiality of the engraving becomes the narrative itself. What do you think you will explore next? Editor: That is eye-opening. I’m walking away thinking about how prints facilitated cultural exchange, material extraction and romanticized what should be considered the degradation of an ancient historical site. I need to consider materials beyond art supplies! Curator: Agreed! Keep looking deeply at who controls production! It will open your understanding of art beyond simple visual appreciation.