Pharos (The Lighthouse at Alexandria)

Philip Galle, after Maerten van Heemskerck

National Gallery of Art

The image shows an elevated view of a coastal city. In the bottom right corner, closest to us, there are two men and two children gathered on a ledge overlooking the landscape. One of the men wears a crown and holds what looks like a knife, and in front of him another man with laurels in his hair holds up a large tablet. In the distance, a tall circular architectural structure labeled "Pharos" stands on a rocky island, with smoke appearing to flow from arched openings at the top of the structure. Several ships and boats are visible in the sea, with large, swirling waves surrounding them. Below the large structure on the rock is a city connected to a long road that winds from the center of the print to another city in the upper right corner, extending into the distance towards jagged mountains. The cities feature winding streets, tall buildings, and towers. The sky is filled with swirling clouds, with a crescent moon casting light on the scene to the left. There are several lines of text below the print.