Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: Back of an Egyptian canopic vase
late 16th to early 17th century
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
sheet: 18 3/4 x 13 3/16 in. (47.6 x 33.5 cm) plate: 14 1/16 x 9 5/8 in. (35.7 x 24.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1941
Accession Number
41.72(3.7)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This etching, created by Etienne DuPérac and published by Claudio Duchetti in the late 16th to early 17th century, forms part of the celebrated *Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae* (“Mirror of Roman Magnificence”). The ambitious series gathered prints of ancient Roman architecture, sculptures, and artifacts to document and celebrate the city’s classical heritage. By reproducing the back of an Egyptian canopic vase—an object used in ancient funerary rites to hold preserved organs—the print reflects the Renaissance fascination with Egypt as a source of wisdom and mystery, even when viewed through a...
About the Artist
Etienne DuPérac|Claudio Duchetti · 1535–1604
Comment on works: architect; painter