ORThe Open Room
Digital gallery
Back to the NGA collection
The image shows an overhead view of ancient Babylon. The scene includes the city layout, hills, mountains, intricate architecture, figures, ships, a central tall structure, staircase, obelisk, statues, lion, figure on horseback with a spear, terraced gardens, waterways, and a bridge over a river. The color scheme is primarily sepia tones.
Read the visual description

The image shows an overhead view of ancient Babylon. The scene includes the city layout, hills, mountains, intricate architecture, figures, ships, a central tall structure, staircase, obelisk, statues, lion, figure on horseback with a spear, terraced gardens, waterways, and a bridge over a river. The color scheme is primarily sepia tones.

National Gallery of Art · Print

Babylonis Muri (The Walls of Babylon)

Philip Galle, after Maerten van Heemskerck

Date
1572
Medium
engraving on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 21 x 26.5 cm (8 1/4 x 10 7/16 in.) plate: 21.2 x 26.7 cm (8 3/8 x 10 1/2 in.)
Classification
Print
Accession number
2011.139.92
Credit line
Gift of the Estate of Leo Steinberg
Time span
1551 to 1600
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Portfolio and series

Series
The Eight Wonders of the World (plate 7)

Subjects and terms

  • architecture
  • Woman
  • Horse
  • City
  • Writing
Inscription

upper center in image: BABYLONIS MVRI. in image on gate: 1572 / Sepulchrum / Semiramus; in lower margin: IMPERIOSA SVI SECTA CERVICE MARITI / IVSSIT COCTILIBVS BABYLONA, SEMIRAMIS ALTAM / MOENIBVS INCINGI, LENTO QVE BITVMINE: PORTAS / ADIECIT CENTVM, ET SVPER HIS SIBI NOBILE BVSTVM

NGA object ID 156113. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.