Emperor Vespasian on Horseback, from the series The First Twelve Roman Caesars, plate 11
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
sheet: 14 5/8 x 20 1/2 in. (37.2 x 52 cm) plate: 11 5/8 x 9 1/16 in. (29.5 x 23 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.3494
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *Emperor Vespasian onback*, plate 11 from the grand series *The First Twelve Caesars*, a masterful etching collaboration between Italian artist Antonio Tempesta and Swiss engraver Matthäus Mer the Elder, created between 1610 and 1650. Tempesta, renowned for his depictions of history, mythology, and equestrian scenes, designed these prints, while Merian brought them to life through precise engraving techniques. Measuring about 14⅝ × 20½ inches on the sheet, this work captures the Flavian emperor in triumphant pose astride his steed, evoking the power and valor of ancient Rome. Vespasian...
About the Artist
Antonio Tempesta|Matthäus Merian the Elder · 1555–1630
Antonio Tempesta (1555–1630), known as 'Il Tempestino,' was a Florentine painter and printmaker whose extraordinary output of approximately 1,700 etchings made him one of the most influential printmakers of the early Baroque period. Born in Florence and trained under Santi di Tito and the Flemish master Joannes Stradanus, he enrolled in the Accademia del Disegno in 1576 before relocating to Rome i...