Sepulchrum Adriani (Views of Ancient Roman Temples and Arches)
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 5 9/16 × 4 1/16 in. (14.2 × 10.3 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Herbert Mitchell, 2008
Accession Number
2018.839.52.1
Art Historical Context
This engraving, created by an anonymous Italian between 1535 and 1540, captures the enduring fascination with ancient Roman architecture during the Renaissance. Titled *Sepulchrum Adriani*, it presents detailed views of Roman temples and arches, including references to Hadrian’s Mausoleum. At just over five inches tall, the compact print demonstrates the precision of the engraving technique, which allowed artists to render intricate stonework and spatial relationships with remarkable clarity on a small sheet. Such prints played a vital role in the 16th century as both artistic records and pra...