La Gierusalemme Liberata

Art Historical Context

Step into the epic world of *La Gerusalemme Liber* (Jerusalem Delivered), Torquato Tasso's 1590 printed book, now housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department. This Italian Renaissance masterpiece recounts the First Crusade's heroic liberation of Jerusalem, blending chivalric romance, religious fervor, and supernatural drama. Tasso, a tormented genius confined to asylums later in life, crafted this poem as a Catholic counterpoint to pagan epics like Homer's, making it a cornerstone of Counter-Reformation literature. What elevates this edition are its stunning engraved illustrations by a dream team of artists: Girolamo Bartoli, Bernardo Castello, Agostino Carracci, and Giacomo Franco. Engraving—a meticulous intaglio technique where metal plates are incised for inked impressions—allowed for precise, reproducible images that vividly captured the poem's battles, enchantments, and lovers like the warrior maiden Clorinda. These works showcase Mannerist flair with dynamic compositions and emotional intensity, bridging literature and visual art for a wider audience. Acquired through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1937, this book exemplifies how 16th-century print culture democratized grand narratives, influencing opera, painting, and beyond. It's a testament to Italy's golden age of book arts, inviting you to trace history's threads through ink and imagination.

About the Artist

Torquato Tasso|Girolamo Bartoli|Bernardo Castello|Agostino Carracci|Giacomo Franco (British|Italian) · 1765 |1544 –1836 |1595

British, Reepham, Norfolk 1765–1836 London|Italian, Sorrento 1544–1595 Rome