Art, Myth & Old Masters · 18th century
€ 950
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Good condition for its age. Light, even age toning throughout with minor handling marks and soft edge wear. No significant creases. Plate mark clearly visible.
Bellori Roman Relief with Children and Animals, English Engraving, 1721
This refined early-18th-century engraving illustrates a sculptural relief after Giovanni Pietro Bellori, depicting a Roman allegorical or decorative scene with a draped female figure, children, animals, and architectural elements. The composition is presented as a carefully studied antique relief, combining narrative grace with classical balance, characteristic of Bellori’s influential interpretation of ancient Roman sculpture.
The print was engraved and published for the English edition of Bernard de Montfaucon’s monumental work Antiquity Explained and Represented in Sculptures, issued in London in 1721. Bellori, one of the most important Italian antiquarians of the 17th century, served as a primary scholarly source for Montfaucon, whose publication translated continental antiquarian knowledge for an English Grand Tour audience. While the sculptural subject derives from Italian collections and Bellori’s Roman scholarship, the engraving itself belongs firmly to the English Enlightenment tradition of archaeological illustration.
The scene emphasizes classical ideals of harmony, nurture, and natural order, expressed through the interaction of human figures, animals, and stylized landscape. Such plates were intended not only as scholarly documentation but also as visual education for artists, architects, and collectors, and today they remain highly decorative works on paper suited to both classical and contemporary interiors.
Plates from the 1721 London edition are particularly sought after for their crisp engraving, balanced compositions, and historical significance within early British antiquarian publishing. This example works well as a standalone artwork and also pairs elegantly with related Bellori or Montfaucon plates depicting Roman reliefs, mythological fragments, or allegorical sculpture.
Condition report:
Good condition. Light overall age toning and minor scattered spotting consistent with age. Strong, clear impression with visible plate mark. No evident fold lines.
Framing tips:
This engraving frames beautifully with a soft ivory or warm off-white mat and a natural oak, walnut, or antiqued gilt frame. A wider mat enhances the sculptural depth and gives the piece a calm, architectural presence.
Technique: Engraving
Maker: After Giovanni Pietro Bellori, published in London, 1721
