The Colosseum (Coliseum Romanum) c. 16th century

Editor: This is Hendrick van Cleve III's "The Colosseum," a 16th-century print. It has a very linear quality, and the light and shadow give it depth. What strikes you about the composition? Curator: I observe the meticulous rendering of architectural details. Note the artist's employment of hatching and cross-hatching to delineate form and texture. It’s a study in geometric precision against the ruin's decay, wouldn't you agree? Editor: That’s a good point. I hadn't considered the contrast between the geometry and the decay. I’ll definitely look at prints differently now.