Rome, Theater of Marcellus Giacomo Lauro, 1625, Theatrum Marcelli Ubi Nunc Palatium Sabellorum

17th century copper engraved view of the famous Theater of Marcellus as it was in the 16th/17th century.

Building was begun in 44 BC by Julius Caesar, who wanted to create a larger and more grand theater than the one built by the recently defeated Pompey. He appropriated lands for it and started construction. He was assassinated shortly after the project began. The project was not taken up again until Emperor Augustus decided to complete it in 22 BC. He privately funded the project. The theater, though incomplete, opened in 17 BC. It went through a number of renovations, and various uses, but portions are still standing today with the top floors used as apartments.

The engraving is taken from ´Splendore dell antica e moderna Roma ...´, published in Rome in 1624 (first edition started being published in parts from 1612 onwards). The view is explained in Latin text below the engraving.

Giacomo Lauro (or Jacobus Laurus) was an engraver, printer and print publisher. Active in Rome from 1583, when described as 'intagliatori di rame' (Ashby p.362). 17 March 1598 he applied for and was granted a 10-year papal privilege for an unspecified number of unnamed religious prints (Leuschner). Giacomo Lauro’s place and date of birth are unknown, although his signature “Jacobus Laurus Romanus” seems to indicate that the artist was proudly born Roman.

Lauro's earliest dated prints are of 1582 (Martyrdom of St Catherine), and carry the address of C. Duchetti (Ashby, 1926-27, p.362). He also worked for Panzera, c.1589 (Bertolotti). From 1590 he tried to establish himself as a publisher of his own work . He acquired and restored old plates, published copies of classic prints as Marcantonio's St Paul preaching (B.XIV.50.44). He accepted commissions, as the map of Rocca Contrada, 1594 (Anselmi). He probably acquired plates from Jacob Matham which he published in 1598 (Widerkehr). His 'Antiquae Urbis Splendor' was published in parts from 1612. In the volumes issued in 1614 and 1615 Lauro refers to having worked on the study of antiquity for 28 years which would mean that he began this work about 1586 (see Ashby, 1926-27, p.362).

Excellent. Strong paper. Ample margins.

Image 18x23cm, page 22x32cm