Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: Castello Sant' Angelo
16th century
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 12 3/16 x 19 11/16 in. (31 x 50 cm) mount: 19 1/8 x 26 in. (48.6 x 66 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(3.42)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the timeless allure of Renaissance Rome with *Speculum Romanae Magniae: Castello Sant'*, a 16th-century engraving from the *Speculum Romanaeificentiae* series. Published by Antonio Salamanca and created by an anonymous artist, this print captures the imposing Castel Sant'Angelo, a multifaceted landmark that began as Emperor Hadrian's mausoleum the 2nd century before evolving into a medieval fortress and papal stronghold. The detailed depiction highlights its cylindrical form, battlements, flags fluttering atop towers, and commanding presence along the Tiber River, evoking Rome's laye...
About the Artist
Anonymous|Antonio Salamanca
In the vast tapestry of art history, "Anonymous" stands not as a singular individual but as a collective designation for countless unidentified creators whose works have endured across millennia. These artists, spanning prehistoric cave painters to medieval illuminators and folk craftsmen, produced the foundational layers of human visual culture. Prior to the Renaissance, when individual fame emer...