Roman Chariot Relief and Imperial Allegories – Montfaucon Engraving, 1721
€ 765
Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)
Date
1721
Mapmaker / artist
Bernard de Montfaucon, Paris / London, 1721
Technique
Engraving
Sheet size
42.4 × 25.8 cm (16.7 × 10.2 in)
Condition
Good
Reference
BG-14184-1-2
What the condition grades mean
Excellent
Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good
Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good
Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair
Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.
Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.
Condition
Good, clear impression with visible plate mark. Light age toning to the paper and minor edge wear consistent with age. No losses to the engraved image.
About this sheet
Roman Chariot Relief and Imperial Allegories – Montfaucon Engraving, 1721
DESCRIPTION Large classical engraving illustrating Roman relief sculpture with chariot imagery and imperial allegories, after ancient monuments recorded by Bernard de Montfaucon. The upper part of the composition presents relief panels with animals, chariots, and standing figures arranged within architectural frames, evoking Roman funerary or honorific monuments. Below, a carefully balanced series of ancient medals and symbolic scenes leads the eye toward two monumental seated female figures identified as imperial personifications, including Magnae Matri Lucilla and Matri Deum Martia Otacilla Augusta.
Published in Montfaucon’s seminal work Antiquity Explained and Represented in Sculptures (1721), this plate exemplifies the early scholarly approach to classical antiquity, in which sculpture, reliefs, and coins were documented as historical evidence. The combination of architectural reliefs, ceremonial chariot imagery, and imperial iconography gives this engraving strong visual authority and a distinctly Roman character. Its vertical format and sculptural clarity make it particularly well suited for libraries, studies, and refined interiors seeking an intellectual classical statement.
This plate works especially well as a standalone work or as a complementary counterpart to horizontal frieze engravings from the same series, offering contrast between architectural structure and narrative relief.
CONDITION REPORT Good, clear impression with visible plate mark. Light age toning to the paper and minor edge wear consistent with age. No losses to the engraved image.
FRAMING TIPS Present with a neutral off-white or parchment-toned mat to highlight the architectural structure. Frame in dark walnut, ebonized wood, or antique black for a scholarly, museum-style appearance.
