Scene of Sacrifice with Warrior Killing Ram and Four Other Figures, from "Ex Antiquis Cameorum et Gemmae Delineata/ Liber Secundus/et ab Enea Vico Parmen Incis"

Art Historical Context

This engraving, created by Enea Vico and published around 1599–1622, captures a dramatic scene of ancient sacrifice drawn from classical cameos and gems. The composition shows a warrior slaying a ram amid four other figures, evoking rituals of offering and devotion that were common in Greco-Roman culture. As part of the book *Ex Antiquis Cameorum et Gemmae Delineata*, it reflects the Renaissance fascination with recovering and studying antiquity through small, precious objects like carved stones. Vico, a skilled Italian engraver from Parma, specialized in reproducing such ancient artifacts with remarkable precision. The medium of engraving allowed these intricate details—visible in the figures’ weapons, clothing, and expressions—to be shared widely among scholars and collectors. This third-state print, now in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection, highlights how 16th-century artists bridged the gap between lost originals and new audiences, preserving cultural memory through meticulous craftsmanship. Measuring just over three by four inches, the work demonstrates the intimate scale typical of gem reproductions while inviting viewers to imagine the larger stories behind these ancient motifs.

About the Artist

Enea Vico|Francesco Angeloni|Battista Franco|Philippe Thomassin|Anonymous, Italian, 16th century · 1523–1567

Enea Vico (1523–1567) was born in Parma and came of age during the final, energetic decades of Italian Renaissance printmaking. By 1541 he had made his way to Rome, where he entered the orbit of the engraver and publisher Tommaso Barlacchi and began his professional career. In Rome, Vico encountered the work of the most celebrated printmakers of the preceding generation—Marcantonio Raimondi, Agost...