Bataille des Cimbres, from "Gazette des Beaux-Arts"
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Image: 4 3/4 × 10 1/16 in. (12 × 25.5 cm) Plate: 7 7/16 × 11 7/8 in. (18.9 × 30.1 cm) Sheet: 8 3/8 × 12 11/16 in. (21.2 × 32.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Grace M. Pugh, 1986
Accession Number
1986.1180.1528
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Visitors to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department will encounter *Bataille des Cres*, a striking etching from the prestigious *Gazette des Beauxts*, created between 1850 and1871. This collaborative work credits etchers Saro Cucinotta and Salmon, alongside artist Alexandre-Gabriel Dec and the journal itself as publisher. Measuring about 4¾ × 10⅛ inches in its image area, the print captures the chaos of the ancient Battle of the Cimbri fierce clash between Roman forces and the Germanic Cimbrian tribe in 101 BCE—through Decamps' dramatic composition. Decamps, a leading French Romantic painter, was renowned for his vivid historical and Orientalist scenes, blending intense emotion with masterful light and shadow. This etching reproduces his original vision, showcasing the *Gazette des Beaux-Arts*' role in democratizing access to elite art in 19th-century Europe. Etching's intricate technique allowed precise translation of Decamps' dynamic brushwork into print, making grand narratives portable for collectors and enthusiasts. Generously bequeathed by Grace M. Pugh in 1986, this piece highlights the era's innovative printmaking, bridging fine art and mass reproduction while preserving a pivotal moment of history in miniature scale. A testament to Romantic fervor!
About the Artist
Saro Cucinotta|Alfred Salmon|Gazette des Beaux-Arts|Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps (Italian|French|French|French) · 1830 |1825 | |1803 –1871 |1925 | |1860
Italian, Messina 1830–1871 Paris|French, Paris 1825–1894?| |French, Paris 1803–1860 Fontainebleau