Arcus in Provincia (Views of Ancient Roman Temples and Arches)
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 5 1/4 × 3 5/16 in. (13.4 × 8.4 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Herbert Mitchell, 2008
Accession Number
2018.839.52.4
Art Historical Context
Step into the Renaissance fascination with antiquity through *Arcus in Provincia (Views of Ancient Roman Temples and Arches)*, a delicate engraving created by an anonymous Italian artist around 1535–40. This petite print, measuring just 5¼ × 3⅜ inches, captures the majestic ruins of Roman temples and triumphal arches in a provincial setting, evoking the grandeur of the ancient empire amid its weathered remnants. Produced during Italy's High Renaissance, when artists and scholars eagerly studied classical ruins to revive Roman architectural ideals, this work exemplifies the period's antiquaria...