Palatium Valerianu[m], from a series of prints depicting (reconstructed) Buildings from Roman Antiquity
Plate ca. 1530–1550
![Palatium Valerianu[m], from a series of prints depicting (reconstructed) Buildings from Roman Antiquity by Monogrammist G.A. & the Caltrop](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/met/dp/thumb/palatium-valerianu-m-from-a-series-of-prints-743040.webp)
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 7 in. × 6 5/16 in. (17.8 × 16.1 cm) [plate cropped]
Classification
Albums|Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1926
Accession Number
26.50.1(110)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the Renaissance revival of ancient Rome with *Palatium Valerianu]*, a delicate engraving from around 1530–1550 by the enigmatic Monogrammist G.A. & the Caltrop. This compact print (7 × 6 5/16 inches) captures a reconstructed view of the Palace of Valerian, part of a fascinating series depicting long-lost Roman buildings. Imagined from ruins and ancient texts, it showcases intricate architectural details like arches, columns, and pediments, blending archaeological accuracy with artistic interpretation. Created during a time when Northern European artists pored over Roman antiquities,...
About the Artist
Monogrammist G.A. & the Caltrop · 1535–1535
**Monogrammist G.A. with the Caltrop**, an enigmatic Italian engraver active in Rome during the 1530s and 1540s, remains one of the shadowy figures of the Renaissance print world. Identified solely by his monogram "G.A." accompanied by a distinctive caltrop symbol—a spiked iron ball used in warfare—little is known of his personal life or training. His early years are not well documented, and no te...