Oleum Olivarum (The Production of Olive Oil), plate 12 in the Nova Reperta (New Inventions of Modern Times)
Medium
figures
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors and from Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund
Accession Number
1938-88-8433
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Oleum Olivarum ( Production of Olive Oil)** plate 12 from *Nova Reperta (New Inventions of Modern)*, captures the ingenuity of Renaissance industry through the eyes of Flemish artist Jan van Straet, known asadanus (1523–1605). Created around 1590, this engravingclassified among the Smithsonian's collection of figures—depicts the meticulous process of olive oil extraction, from pressing the fruit to collecting the golden liquid. Stradanus, who spent much of his career in Florence under Medici patronage, celebrated technological and artisanal advances in this influential series of prints, engr...