Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: Marcus Aurelius
16th century
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 18 5/16 x 11 in. (46.5 x 28 cm) plate: 14 7/16 x 9 13/16 in. (36.7 x 25 cm) trimmed on the left-hand side
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1941
Accession Number
41.72(2.106)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, where you'll find *Speculum Romanae Magniae: Marcus Aurelius a captivating 16th-century engraving one of the era's most ambitious publishing ventures. The *Speculum Romanae Magniae*—or "Mirror of Roman Magnificence"—was a groundbreaking series of prints compiled by Antwerp publisher Antonio Lafreri, meticulously rendered images of ancient Roman antiquities, sculptures, and. This plate likely depicts the iconic equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (r. 161–180 CE), a symbol of imperial power and Stoic philosophy,...