Doge Enrico Dandolo crowns Baldovino the first emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople

Art Historical Context

This etching captures a pivotal moment from the Fourth Crusade in 1204, when Doge Enrico Dandolo of Venice crowns Baldwin of Flanders as Baldwin I, the first emperor of the short-lived Latin Empire of Constantinople. The scene reflects the dramatic division of Byzantine territories following the sack of the city, highlighting Venice’s dominant role in the expedition and the establishment of Western rule in the East until the Byzantine restoration in 1261. Created between 1745 and 1794 by Giacomo Leonardis after a composition by the Venetian painter Antonio Vassilacchi, known as Il Aliense, the print translates a late-Renaissance historical narrative into the more accessible medium of etching. This technique allowed for fine detail and wide circulation, enabling eighteenth-century audiences to engage with grand episodes of medieval history through reproductive prints. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, the work connects viewers to both the dramatic politics of the Crusades and the enduring Venetian tradition of commemorating its maritime and political achievements through art.

About the Artist

Giacomo Leonardis|Doge Enrico Dandolo|Baldwin I, Latin Emperor|Antonio Vassilacchi (called "Il Aliense") (Italian|Italian) · 1723 |1727 –1794 |1804

Italian, 1723–1794|Italian, Venice 1727–1804 Venice