Title Page for "Thesavrvs Antiqvitatvm et Historianrvm Italie, Mari Lingvistico et Alpibvs Vicinae Tome Secondi Pars Prior"

Art Historical Context

This intricate engraving by Dutch artist Jan Goeree serves as the title page for *Thesavrvs Antiqvitatvm et Historianrvm Italie, Mari Lingvistico et Alpibvs Vicinae Tome Secondi Pars Prior*, a scholarly tome from the early 18th century exploring the antiquities and histories of Italy, the Ligurian Sea, and neighboring Alpine regions. Goeree, renowned for his precise line work in book illustrations, captures a dramatic vignette bustling with men and women locked in battle, swords clashing amid classical motifs. Measuring 12 7/16 x 7 1/4 inches, the print exemplifies the Baroque era's flair for allegorical grandeur, blending historical reverence with dynamic action to entice readers into the volume's vast compilation of ancient lore. As an engraving, this work highlights the medium's power for detailed reproduction, allowing complex scenes to be widely disseminated in academic circles during the Enlightenment. Produced without a specified date, it reflects the period's passion for rediscovering Italy's Roman and medieval past, much like the encyclopedic efforts of scholars such as Lodovico Antonio Muratori. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department—thanks to a 1958 gift from Helen and János Scholz—it invites visitors to appreciate how visual artistry elevated historical scholarship, turning dense texts into visually compelling gateways to the past.

About the Artist

Jan Goeree · 1670–1731

Comment on works: Painter; Draughtsman; Engraver; History; Subjects in landscapes