Title-page to a series of fifteen plates, with two lions over a scroll facing a ring rounded by three feathers
Original title: Title-page to a series of fifteen plates, with two lions over a scroll facing a ring rounded by three feathers, from a series of 15 plates depicting Raphael's works for the Vatican stanze and the Sistine Chapel tapestries
kurzbeschreibung
Pietro Santi Bartoli's title page (1650–70) opens a set of fifteen etchings reproducing Raphael's frescoes in the Vatican Stanze and the tapestry cartoons for the Sistine Chapel. Two lions on spheres face each other above a scroll; a crest with three feathers hovers above. Columns with busts rise at the sides, and a Latin dedication inscription appears below.
Description
Two lions rest on spheres, turned toward each other over a scroll, above which floats a ring with three feathers. Columns with busts frame the central motif on left and right. Beneath the scroll lies a text field with a Latin inscription dedicated to Don Nicolao Simonello. The arrangement is mirror-symmetrical, and the lines are thin and precise in the manner of the seventeenth century.
Context
The series was made in the second half of the seventeenth century, when Raphael's works were highly esteemed in Rome and reproductive prints made them accessible to a wider public. The dedication to Don Nicolao Simonello reflects the custom of dedicating prints to patrons to secure support. The set included views of the Stanze and the tapestry cartoons, which were regarded as masterpieces of the High Renaissance.
Impact
The symmetrical layout and thin lines give the sheet a clear, dignified presence. Lions and columns create an antique, heraldic impression that underscores the importance of the subject. The inscription structures the image and draws the eye to the dedication, revealing the representative character of this title page.
Technique
The lines were etched into a plate and then printed on paper, as etching requires. This process allows fine, even strokes that render ornaments and figures in detail. The plate measures 11 × 25.3 cm and is printed on a larger sheet of 23.8 × 33.8 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)