Frontispiece to the series 'The First Twelve Roman Caesars' with the Coat of Arms of Jacopo Bosio

Art Historical Context

This elegant etching serves as the frontispiece for Antonio Tempesta's renowned seriesThe First Twelve Roman Caesars*, produced in 1596.atively etched by Tempesta—a prolific Italian Mannerist known for his dynamic historical scenes—and Giovanni Battista di Lazzaro Panzera da Parma, it prominently features the coat of arms Jacopo Bosio, a Roman patron. Measuring 12 3/16 × 9 1/16 inches, this first state of two (as cataloged by Bartsch) captures the Renaissance fascination with ancient Rome, blending classical grandeur with heraldic symbolism. Tags highlight motifs like bulls and keys, evoking papal authority and strength—keys symbolizing St. Peter, bulls perhaps alluding to ecclesiastical power or the papal bull. Etching's fine lines allowed for intricate detail and reproducibility, making such prints accessible to collectors across Europe during the late 16th century. This work introduces Tempesta's vivid depictions of emperors from Julius Caesar to Domitian, reflecting Counter-Reformation interests in Roman virtue and imperial legacy as moral exemplars. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Elisha Whittelsey Collection, 1951), it exemplifies the era's printmaking innovation, bridging art patronage and historical revival for a discerning audience.

About the Artist

Antonio Tempesta|Giovanni Battista di Lazzaro Panzera da Parma · 1555–1630

Antonio Tempesta (1555–1630), known as 'Il Tempestino,' was a Florentine painter and printmaker whose extraordinary output of approximately 1,700 etchings made him one of the most influential printmakers of the early Baroque period. Born in Florence and trained under Santi di Tito and the Flemish master Joannes Stradanus, he enrolled in the Accademia del Disegno in 1576 before relocating to Rome i...