The Interior of the Colosseum

Charles Michel-Ange Challe

Black chalk heightened with white on light brown laid paper

National Gallery of Art

This atmospheric drawing captures the ancient Roman Colosseum in a state of romantic ruin, rendered with masterful black chalk heightened with white on light brown laid paper. Created by Charles Michel-Ange Challe during his extended seven-year residency at the French Academy in Rome, the work exemplifies the Piranesi-influenced style that made him famous. The artist, who served as official Draftsman to King Louis XV, bridges the transition from Rococo to Neoclassicism, making this piece a significant example of 18th-century French draftsmanship that would look elegant in any sophisticated home collection.