Engraving of Torquato Tasso, Prominent Italian Poet of the 16th century, 1724

About this sheet

An engraving of Torquato Tasso, a prominent Italian poet of the 16th century, best known for his epic poem "Gerusalemme Liberata" ("Jerusalem Delivered"), which tells the story of the First Crusade. The text below his portrait can be translated from Italian to English as:

"Torquato Tasso Poet
Buried in the Church of St. Onofrio in Rome
on the 25th of April 1595"

This indicates that Tasso is interred in the church of Sant'Onofrio al Gianicolo in Rome, where he spent his last years and where a tomb and a small museum dedicated to him are located. The date mentioned marks his day of burial.

The engraving itself shows Tasso in a classic pose, reminiscent of Renaissance portraiture, with a laurel wreath in the background symbolizing his fame and status as a poet. The laurel wreath is a classical symbol of victory and honor, often associated with poets and conquerors.

The text indicates the names of the artists:

- "E. Seeman Del." refers to E. Seeman, who was the artist that created the original design or drawing. "Del." is an abbreviation of "delineavit," which means "he (or she) drew it" in Latin.
- "N.Depuis Jun Sculpsit" identifies the engraver as N. Depuis the Younger. "Sculpsit" is Latin for "he (or she) engraved it."

These inscriptions typically indicate who was responsible for the original drawing and who transferred that drawing onto the engraving plate.