Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: The Ocean God
Medium
Engraving; second state of three (Robert-Dumesnil)
Dimensions
sheet: 13 9/16 x 17 3/8 in. (34.5 x 44.2 cm) plate: 12 3/8 x 16 5/16 in. (31.5 x 41.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1941
Accession Number
41.72(2.95)
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nicolas Beatrizet’s 1560 engraving, *The Ocean God*, belongs to the celebrated seriesSpeculum Romanae Magnificentiae* (“Mirror of Roman Magnence”), a visual compendium of ancient Roman antiquities that circulated widely across Europe. Working in Rome during the height of the Renaissance, the French-born printmaker captured classical statues and reliefs with remarkable precision, allowing viewers far from Italy to study the city’s sculptural heritage. The subject depicts Oceanus, the ancient Titan personifying the sea, rendered in the monumental style typical of Roman public fountains and arch...