The Victory of the Scipios at Illiturgo from Historiae romanae decades (Roman History), Plate 49 from Woodcuts from Books of the 15th Century
1493, portfolio assembled 1929
Medium
Woodcut in black, and letterpress in black (recto and verso), on cream laid paper, tipped onto cream wove paper mat
Dimensions
Image: 5.7 × 7.6 cm (2 1/4 × 3 in.); Sheet: 31.8 × 21.8 cm (12 9/16 × 8 5/8 in.)
Classification
woodcut
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
129349
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of late 15th-century printing *The Victory of the Scipios at Illitur*, a delicate woodcut by the enigmatic Monogrammist F. Created in 1493 as Plate 49 for *Historiae romanae decades* (Roman History), a Latin edition of Titus Livius's ancient chronicle, this illustration captures a pivotal moment from the Second Punic War. It depicts the triumph of Roman generals Publius and Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio over Carthaginian forces at Illiturgo in Spain around 206 BCE, fueling Renaissance Europe's fascination with classical antiquity and heroic military exploits. Printed in black in...