Caption

Medallions with portraits of Theseus and Romulus, print, Medallions with portraits of the Athenian hero Theseus and the Roman king Romulus, on stone pedestals. Next to the portrait of Theseus is his club and by the portrait of Romulus another medallion with the she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus., printmaker: Reinier Vinkeles (I), Amsterdam, after drawing by Jacobus Buys, 1789, paper, etching, height 234 mm x width 158 mm, Print also used as a book illustration in: Plutarchus edited by E. Wassenbergh and H. Bosscha. The lives of illustrious Greeks and Romans, compared among themselves, 12 vols. Amsterdam: Johannes Allart, 1789-1809., weapons for striking a blow: club, (story of) Theseus, base (, column, pillar), Romulus as king of Rome, A detailed engraving shows two oval medallion portraits set against a textured stone backdrop; the upper medallion depicts a youthful profile with long flowing hair and a smooth face looking left, while the lower medallion shows an older bearded profile facing right with short layered hair and pronounced facial features. The stone blocks surrounding the medallions include a circular relief showing a she-wolf nursing two infants and a small recessed panel with a standing robed figure offering an object to another smaller figure. Foliage and plants frame the scene, with leafy branches and textured undergrowth visible at the edges, and a draped cloth hangs between the stone blocks beside the upper medallion. The composition is rendered in fine engraved lines and crosshatching, creating varied shading and intricate surface detail.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26B41_316

License type

Rights managed

Available size

58.4Mb (8.1Mb) / 11.7in x 19.4in / 3508 x 5821 (300dpi)

Keywords

Medallions portraits Theseus Romulus print Athenian hero Theseus Roman king stone pedestals Next portrait club Romulus another medallion -wolf suckling Remus printmaker Reinier Vinkeles I Amsterdam drawing Jacobus Buys 1789 paper etching height 234 mm x width 158 mm Print also book illustration in Plutarchus edited E Wassenbergh H Bosscha lives illustrious Greeks Romans compared themselves 12 vols Johannes Allart 1789-1809 weapons striking blow story of base column pillar Rome detailed engraving two oval medallion set textured stone backdrop upper medallion depicts youthful profile long flowing hair smooth face looking left lower medallion older bearded profile facing right short layered pronounced facial features stone blocks surrounding medallions include circular relief showing -wolf nursing two infants small recessed panel standing robed figure offering object another smaller figure Foliage plants frame scene leafy branches textured undergrowth visible edges draped cloth hangs stone blocks beside upper medallion composition rendered fine engraved lines crosshatching creating varied shading intricate surface detail