Ancient Roman Scene from the series "Antiquities of Herculaneum"

Ancient Roman Scene from the series "Antiquities of Herculaneum", is an etching on paper realized by  in the 18th Century.

Signed on the plate.

Good conditions with some folding.

The etching belongs to the print suite “Antiquities of Herculaneum Exposed” (original title: “Le Antichità di Ercolano Esposte”), an eight-volume volume of engravings of the finds from the excavation of the ruins of Herculaneum in the Kingdom of Naples (now Campania, Italy). 

It was published between 1757 and 1792 by the Regia Stamperia, and copies were delivered to selected recipients across Europe. 

Despite the title, the Antiquity of Herculaneum shows objects from all the excavations undertaken by the Bourbons in the Gulf of Naples. These include Pompeii, Stabia and two sites of Herculaneum: Resina and Portici. 

The Bourbon King Carlo appointed fifteen scholars creating a new “Herculaneum Academy” to study the artifacts and publish the results of the archaeological excavations of the sites.

The engravings are of high quality and the accompanying text shows a large scholarship. 

They were realized by 25 prominent artists involved by the King to prepare drawings and engravings on the finds, among which we can find Giovanni Elia Morghen, Carlo Nolli, Luigi Vanvitelli and Giovanni Battista Casanova.

The “Antiquities” was designed more to amaze readers with the quality of the objects in the collection of the King of Naples than to be used in research., following and increasing the interest of 18th century society for the classical culture and Art in particular.

Through the exaltation of the classical concept of proportions and harmony, the book was of inspiration to the neoclassical movement in Europe, giving artists and decorators access to a huge shop of Hellenistic motifs.

Giacomo Girolamo Casanova (2 April 1725 – 4 June 1798) was an Italian adventurer and author from the Republic of Venice. His autobiography, Histoire de ma vie (Story of My Life), is regarded as one of the most authentic sources of information about the customs and norms of European social life during the 18th century.