Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: Longitudinal Section Showing the Interior of Saint Peter's Basilica as Conceived by Michelangelo (Published in 1569)
1551, 1558–61
Medium
Etching with engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 13 1/4 x 18 3/4 in. (33.7 x 47.6 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(3.26)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking print by Etienne DuPérac captures Michelangelo’s visionary design for the interior of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Created as part of the *Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae*—a celebrated 16th-century collection of views documenting Rome’s ancient and modern wonders—the etching with engraving presents a longitudinal section that reveals the soaring nave, dramatic lighting effects, and harmonious proportions Michelangelo conceived after taking over the project in 1547. Though the basilica’s construction spanned decades, this image preserves the architect’s bold ideas for a unified...
About the Artist
Etienne DuPérac · 1535–1604
Comment on works: architect; painter