A Faun or Satyr Preparing a Pig for Sacrifice, from "Ex Antiquis Cameorum et Gemmae Delineata/ Liber Secundus/et ab Enea Vico Parmen Incis"

Art Historical Context

This engraving captures a lively mythological scene of a faun or satyr preparing a pig for sacrifice, drawn from an ancient cameo or gem. The creature, shown in profile with characteristic horns and tail, bends over the animal in a moment of ritual preparation, evoking the pastoral and ceremonial themes popular in classical antiquity. Created as part of the series *Ex Antiquis Cameorum et Gemmae Delineata*, the print translates the delicate carving of an ancient gem into a detailed line engraving, preserving the composition for a wider audience. Published between 1599 and 1622, the work reflects the Renaissance fascination with rediscovering and documenting Greco-Roman artifacts. Enea Vico, along with collaborators including Battista Franco and others, produced this third-state impression to record and circulate images of rare cameos and gems held in private collections. Such reproductive prints played a vital role in shaping early archaeological study and the appreciation of classical art across Europe. Measuring just over three by four inches, the engraving demonstrates the precision of the medium, with fine lines conveying texture and depth on a small scale. Now part of the Metropolitan Museum’s collection, it offers modern viewers a window into both ancient ritual imagery and the scholarly printmaking practices of the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.

About the Artist

Francesco Angeloni|Battista Franco|Philippe Thomassin|Enea Vico|Anonymous, Italian, 16th century (Italian|Italian|French|Italian|Italian) · 1559 |1510 |1562 |1523 |1500 –1652 |1561 |1622 |1567 |1600

Terni 1559 or 1587–1652 Rome|Italian, Venice ca. 1510–1561 Venice|French, Troyes 1562–1622 Rome|Italian, Parma 1523–1567 Ferrara|