Plate from "Divers Trophées" (Weapon Trophies after the Façade of Palazzo Milesi in Rome) (1651, Met-Objekt 2294)
Original title: Plate from "Divers Trophées" (Weapon Trophies after the Façade of Palazzo Milesi in Rome)
kurzbeschreibung
Helmets, shields and weapons gather into a symmetrical trophy group framed by angels and a lion. The sheet belongs to a series of weapon trophies after Polidoro da Caravaggio and carries the date 1651. Here, in the printmaking of the seventeenth century, one sees how ancient motifs lived on.
Description
A richly ornamented helmet anchors the middle, flanked by two angels, while a lion rests on a pedestal above. On the left sits a large shield covered with ornament; beside it a figure spreads its arms, face triumphant. To the right, more shields and weapons line up, among them a sword and a shield with an arrow. A mosaic-like fabric of shields and arms fills the ground behind. Below appears an oval shield bearing the inscription 'Polidorus Caravagiiensis Inue't Pinxit Roma', which points to Rome.
Context
Polidoro da Caravaggio was known in the sixteenth century for his facade decorations in Rome, especially for the Palazzo Milesi. This etching was made after his designs. The series 'Divers Trophées' came out in 1651 as part of a collection of ornamental prints reproducing ancient weapons and trophies. Artists and craftsmen used such sheets as models, and so the style of Roman antiquity spread across Europe. The inscription on the shield names Polidoro as the inventor of the motif, while further inscriptions give the engraver and the publisher.
Impact
Precise lines and the symmetrical ordering of the trophies produce an effect at once monumental and decorative. The weapons and figures feel triumphal; the sheet has a solemn, almost apotheotic mood. Grey tones and fine hatching create sculptural depth and bring out the details of the armour and ornament.
Technique
Etching is an intaglio process: the drawing is scratched into a metal plate, and acid bites the lines into it. Fine lines and hatching allow the high precision of detail that ornaments and textures demand. Printing was done on paper; the sheet measures roughly 21.2 x 29.3 cm and so permits a compact yet rich reproduction.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)