Friday, March 20, 2015

Pictures of Statues

Jan de Bisschop
Apollo Belvedere
engraving
c. 1655-70

Willem Dondijn
Apollo Belvedere
engraving
c. 1655-70

Ancient Roman statues  excavated in large numbers and very much 'restored'  became firmly established throughout Europe as fashionable upper-class status symbols during the 17th and 18th centuries. Italy carried on a largely unrestricted export business in antiquities (including many fakes) with the richer regions on the continent. As interest broadened, there was also new demand for inexpensive two-dimensional reproductions, especially of the most famous statues. The engravings and drawings gathered here represent part of the effort to fulfill that perceived need.

Francesco Piranesi
Farnese Hercules
engraving
c. 1795

Carlo Maratta
Farnese Hercules
drawing
c. 1690

Carlo Maratta
Farnese Hercules
drawing
c. 1690

Louis-Philippe Boitard
Farnese Hercules
engraving
1755

Richard Dalton
Farnese Hercules
drawing
1741

François Perrier
Farnese Hercules
engraving
1630

Michel Natalis
Hercules in youth
engraving
1630s

Carlo Maratta
Maenad
drawing of a relief sculpture
c. 1690

Carlo Maratta
Muse
drawing
c. 1690

Carlo Maratta
Sacrifice of a Bull
drawing of a relief sculpture
c. 1690

Carlo Maratta
Farnese Flora
drawing
c. 1690

Carlo Maratta
Farnese Flora
drawing
c. 1690