The artwork titled “View of the upper floor of the menagerie of wild beasts made by Domitian for the use of the Flavian Amphitheatre, commonly known as the Curia and Ostilia” is a creation of Giovanni Battista Piranesi, belonging to the Neoclassicism art movement. This cityscape piece is part of the renowned series “Vedute di Roma,” which captures various scenes of Rome.
In this particular artwork, Piranesi portrays the architectural grandeur of the Flavian Amphitheatre, depicting its upper floors once used for housing wild beasts. The composition highlights the intricate detailing of arches, columns, and crumbling stone structures, bathing them in the interplay of light and shadow. Figures are shown engaging in various activities, lending the scene a dynamic and lived-in quality against the backdrop of historical ruins. Piranesi’s meticulous etching technique and keen eye for architectural detail are evident, as the artwork evokes a sense of both the monumentality and the historical decay of the ancient Roman structure.
