View of Flavian Amphitheater, called the Colosseum, 1776

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Gladiator combats, wild-animal hunts, executions—all manner of spectacle took place inside the Colosseum, which could hold up to 80,000 people. It was even filled with water to hold mock naval battles. After Rome’s decline, the Colosseum was seen as a ready source of building materials, and people plundered its great façade and interior. The quarrying was stopped in Piranesi’s time by Pope Benedict XIV, who mistakenly believed that the place was a site of Christian martyrdom.

Details
Title
View of Flavian Amphitheater, called the Colosseum
Artist Life
Italian, 1720–1778
Role
Artist
Accession Number
P.493
Provenance
William M. Ladd
Catalogue Raisonne
Hind 126 i/iv; Wilton-Ely 259
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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