Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: Capital with peapod volutes and satyr head
ca. 1537
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 6 1/2 x 5 7/8 in. (16.5 x 15 cm) mount: 11 3/4 x 7 13/16 in. (29.8 x 19.8 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(2.28)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This engraving, created around 1537 by the artist known as Monogrammist G.A. & the Caltrop, belongs to the celebrated series *Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae* (Mirror of Roman Magnificence). Produced during the Renaissance, the print captures a richly ornamented Corinthian-style capital adorned with curling peapod volutes and a whimsical satyr’s head. Such architectural details, drawn from ancient Roman ruins, reflect the period’s deep fascination with classical antiquity and the desire to preserve and share its visual legacy through widely circulated prints. As an engraving on paper, the wor...
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...