Polidoro da Caravaggio

Polidoro da Caravaggio belongs to the generation of Italian Renaissance painters whose frieze-like narratives and figure studies circulated widely through prints. The archive gathers thirty-two sheets that trace this graphic afterlife, dominated by engraving alongside pen and brown ink with brown wash, with a smaller group in oil on canvas and a few drawings heightened with white or worked over graphite. Subjects range from Roman scenes and military and festival processions to frieze fragments and studies for an altarpiece, including a sheet with figure studies possibly connected to a Deposition of Christ. Dating runs from the late fifteenth century through impressions up to 1651, so later printings of his designs sit beside earlier drawings.

32 works in the collection · All public domain (CC0)

St. Peter Delivered from Prison

1499–1543 · Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, and red chalk

Festival Procession

1499–1543 · Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash

Roman Scene

1499–1543 · Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, highlighted with white

Rape of the Sabines

1499–1543 · Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash

Historical Scene

1499–1543 · Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash

Soldier

1499–1543 · Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash

Sack of a City

1499–1543 · Pen and brown ink, brushed and washed with brown and gray, over charcoal

Roman Procession

1499–1543 · Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, highlighted with white

The Holy Family with Saint Elizabeth and the Infant John the Baptist

1520–25 · Pen and brown ink, brush and brown and grayish brown wash over black chalk with white heightening, traces of squaring in pen and brown ink (especially evident at lower right and lower left).

Design for a Vase

1520–43 · Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash

Frieze with Three Horsemen

1530s · Pen and brown ink, brush and brown and gray wash.

Studies for an Altarpiece with the Virgin Enthroned, Attended by Four Saints (recto); Various Figure Studies, Some Possibly for a Deposition of Christ (verso)

1530–35 · Pen and brown ink, some brush and brown wash

Armorial Trophy

1600–1800 · Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, heightened with white, over graphite

Trophy with Two Vases and a Cuirass

1600–1800 · Pen and black ink, brush and reddish-brown wash, over graphite

Trophy with Two Ewers

1600–1800 · Pen and black ink, brush and grayish-brown wash, over graphite

Trophy with Two Vases

1600–1800 · Pen and black ink, brush and reddish-brown wash, over graphite

Two Designs for Ewers

1600–1800 · Pen and black ink, brush and grayish-brown wash, over leadpoint or graphite

Divers Trophées

1651 · Engraving

Plate from "Divers Trophées" (Weapon Trophies after the Façade of Palazzo Milesi in Rome) (1651, Met-Objekt 2290)

1651 · Engraving

Plate from "Divers Trophées" (Weapon Trophies after the Façade of Palazzo Milesi in Rome) (1651, Met-Objekt 2291)

1651 · Engraving

Plate from "Divers Trophées" (Weapon Trophies after the Façade of Palazzo Milesi in Rome) (1651, Met-Objekt 2292)

1651 · Engraving

Plate from "Divers Trophées" (Weapon Trophies after the Façade of Palazzo Milesi in Rome) (1651, Met-Objekt 2293)

1651 · Engraving

Plate from "Divers Trophées" (Weapon Trophies after the Façade of Palazzo Milesi in Rome) (1651, Met-Objekt 2294)

1651 · Engraving

Three Designs for Helmets

16th century · Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, over leadpoint; glued onto secondary paper support

Ornamental Design with Amphore and Antique Style Armor

16th century · Pen and brown ink over traces of black chalk or leadpoint; partial framing line

Ornamental Design with Amphore and Antique Style Armor (recto); Sketch with Two Figures (verso)

16th century · Pen and brown ink, over traces of black chalk or leadpoint; partial framing line (recto); graphite or leadpoint; pen and brown ink (verso)

Frieze fragment

ca. 1520–35 · Oil on canvas

Frieze with Male Figures and Two Horses

mid-16th century · Pen and brown ink, brown wash.

Two Urns Decorated with Human Figures, Animals and Garlands

n.d. · Pen and brown ink, brush with brown and gray wash highlighted with white gouache over traces of graphite

Design for a Crucifix with the Virgin Mary, Saint Mary Magdalen, and Saint John

n.d. · Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, over traces of black chalk

Frieze of Trophies

n.d. · Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, over leadpoint

Military Procession

second half 16th century · Oil on canvas