Self-portrait with the Colosseum
Maarten van Heemskerck · 1553
Why it's great
The Dutch painter Maarten van Heemskerck shows himself in front of the Colosseum in 1553, when the great arena was already a crumbling ruin. It is one of the first pictures to treat Roman ruins as something precious.
🏛️ Part of history
Imperial Rome & Pompeii (14–180) — The Dutch painter Maarten van Heemskerck shows himself in front of the Colosseum in 1553, when the great arena was already a crumbling ruin.
Where to see it
📍 Location not recordedWe couldn't confirm where it hangs today. Museums sometimes move or lend paintings, so check the museum's website before you travel.
Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
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Maarten van Heemskerck was a Dutch painter born in the village of Heemskerk in 1498. He lived in Haarlem but traveled to Rome from 1532 to 1536, where he drew the ancient ruins, and these drawings are now an important record of Renaissance Rome. He died in Haarlem in 1574.
