About this sheet
Large Classical Relief Engraving with Female Figures – Montfaucon, London 1721
A striking large-format classical engraving depicting an extended procession of draped female figures, engraved after ancient Roman relief sculpture and published in Bernard de Montfaucon’s Antiquity Explained and Represented in Sculptures, London, 1721. The map is offered unframed, enabling custom framing to personal or interior preferences.
This impressive copper engraving originates from Bernard de Montfaucon’s monumental antiquarian publication Antiquity Explained and Represented in Sculptures, Volume I, issued in London in 1721. The composition presents two horizontal registers of standing female figures rendered in high-relief style, closely following the appearance of ancient Roman marble friezes.
Montfaucon’s project was the first systematic attempt to record and interpret classical sculpture through engraved visual documentation, laying the foundations of modern classical archaeology. The figures shown here are derived from celebrated ancient reliefs and monuments preserved in prominent European collections, carefully engraved to convey drapery, posture, and rhythmic balance.
The strong horizontal format, architectural clarity, and calm classical procession give this print a distinctly monumental presence. Unlike smaller medallion-style plates, this engraving functions as a statement piece, particularly well suited to libraries, studies, boardrooms, or refined interiors seeking historical depth and visual authority.
The print is sold unframed.
Condition report:
Even age toning throughout the sheet, a clearly visible plate mark, and a moderately inked impression with some natural softness to the engraved lines. Minor edge wear and light surface handling, consistent with early 18th-century folio engravings.
Framing suggestions:
The map is offered unframed, enabling custom framing to personal or interior preferences. Best framed wide, with a dark wood or black frame and a generous ivory or off-white mat to emphasize the horizontal relief composition and architectural character.
Keywords:
Bernard de Montfaucon, Antiquity Explained, 1721 engraving, classical relief, Roman sculpture, female procession, antique engraving, antiquarian print, Grand Tour art, 18th century engraving, classical wall art, museum style print, architectural decoration, decapition
Technique: Copper engraving
Maker: Bernard de Montfaucon, London, 1721
