Rome, Forum, 2 views Arch of Septimus Severus Giacomo Lauro, 1625, Vestigia Arcus Septimii Severi / Arcus L. Septimii Severi Ad Radices Capitolii
Two view of the famous Triumph Arch of Septimius Severus omn the Forum as it was in Antiquity and the ruins as they were in the 16th/17th Century.
The Arch of Septimius Severus. This large and well preserved arch is in the Roman Forum. It was erected in 203 AD to honor Emperor Septimus Sevrius and his sons, Geta and Caracalla. The reliefs on the arch illustrate Severus's victories over the Parthians. When Caracalla succeeded his father, he had his brother killed and erased Geta's name from the monument.
One of the engravings show the remains of the Arch of Septimius Severus. During Lauro's time, and until the 18th century, the arch was covered with debris and soil. Excavation of the Roman Forum began in the eighteenth century and the arch is considered to be one of the most in tact monuments.
The engravings are 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).
The engravings are taken from ´Splendore dell antica e moderna Roma ...´, published in Rome in 1625 (first edition started being published in parts from 1612 onwards). The views were explained in four languages The translations into Italian, German and French of the Latin legends below the engraving are printed on the back of the plates.
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 condition. Strong paper. Ample margins.
Images 18x23cm, pages 22x32cm