Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: Titus, from The Twelve Caesars
ca. 1500–1534
Medium
Engraving; second state of three
Dimensions
mount: 10 5/8 x 16 3/4 in. (27 x 42.5 cm) sheet: 6 11/16 x 5 7/8 in. (17 x 15 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(3.92)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the commanding profile of Emperor Titus in this exquisite engraving by Marcantonio Raimondi a cornerstone of Renaissance printmaking. Titled *Speculum Romanae Magnificent: Titus, from The Caesars*, this second-state impression from around 1500–1534 captures the Roman leader (r. 79–81 CE) in a classical bust format, evoking ancient coins and sculptures. Raimondi, a engraver from Bologna, was renowned for his precise reproductions of designs by Raphael and other High Renaissance artists, making intricate details accessible through the printed medium. As part of Antonio Lafreri's influent...
About the Artist
Marcantonio Raimondi · 1475–1534
Marcantonio Raimondi (c. 1480–1534), born near Bologna, Italy, emerged as one of the Renaissance's premier engravers, revolutionizing printmaking through his mastery of reproductive techniques. He trained in the workshop of the goldsmith, painter, and niellist Francesco Francia, whose influence is evident in his early engravings, such as the goldsmith-like shading in *Pyramus and Thisbe* (1505), h...