Artwork
Colosseum, Rome
Colosseum, Rome is an oil painting by the Neoclassicist artist Hubert Robert. It dates from 1790 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
This oil painting of the Colosseum in Rome was created by French artist Hubert Robert in 1790. It is a representation of the ancient amphitheater in a state of ruin.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the Colosseum as a crumbling, empty ruin, with a few figures in the center and more in the distance on a green hill. The scene is characterized by a sense of abandonment and decay.
Technique & Style
Robert's use of chiaroscuro, a technique that utilizes strong contrasts between light and dark, creates a vivid and lifelike representation of the ruins. The interplay of sunlight and shadow highlights the worn texture of the stones.
History & Provenance
The painting is part of the Museo del Prado's collection. Robert was known for his landscape paintings and capricci featuring ruins, often combining real and imaginary elements to create picturesque scenes.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Hubert Robert (French pronunciation: ; 22 May 1733 – 15 April 1808) was a French painter in the school of Romanticism, noted especially for his landscape paintings and capricci, or semi-fictitious picturesque depictions of ruins in Italy…
