Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: Corinthian base
ca. 1537
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 4 1/2 x 6 3/16 in. (11.5 x 15.7 cm) mount: 6 15/16 x 8 1/4 in. (17.7 x 21 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(2.21)
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the Renaissance era, when artists and architects eagerly rediscovered the grandeur of ancient Rome, the *Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae* emerged as a treasure trove of visual knowledge. This expansive series of engravings, produced in Rome from the 1530s onward, served as a "mirror" reflecting the city's magnificent antiquities. Our featured print, *Corinthian base* by the enigmatic Monogrammist G.A. & the Caltrop (ca. 1537), captures the ornate foot of a Corinthian column—one of the most elaborate classical orders, distinguished by its acanthus leaf motifs symbolizing nature's exuberance....
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...