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Original fileBoog van Septimius Severus en de Curia Julia
About This Work
This engraving depicts the partially buried triple arch of Septimius Severus alongside the brick facade of the ancient Roman senate house. Small figures of pedestrians and riders on horseback traverse the dusty expanse of the Forum, which is surrounded by decaying structures and Renaissance-era housing. The print meticulously labels specific landmarks with letters corresponding to an explanatory Italian caption at the bottom.
Aegidius Sadeler was the imperial engraver for Rudolf II in Prague, a monarch deeply invested in Hermeticism and the recovery of ancient wisdom. These prints of Roman ruins served as both archaeological records and 'memento mori' reflections on the transience of worldly power, a theme central to the Hermetic and Neoplatonic thought prevalent in Rudolfine court circles.
Inscriptions(Latin)
IMP. CAES. LVCIO. SEPTIMIO. M. FIL. SEVERO. PIO. PERTINACI. AVG. PP. PARTHICO. ARABICO. ET. PARTHICO. ADIABENICO Vestigij dell'arco di Settimio Severo quale fu d'opera composta, et dall'una et l'altra parte vi si veggono scolpiti i simulacri delle sue vittorie et di sopra nel segno A vi fi legge un titolo in honor suo Nel segno B si vede il tempio di Saturno qual fu dalla parte di fuori ornato di Stucchi, et di dentro di uarie pietre mischie, Vogliono alcuni che in questo tempio fosse l'erario hoggi e dedicato a Sto Adriano Nel segno C e la Chiesa di Sta Martina nella quale si uode un tempio molto rouinato qualefu il tempio di Marte come iui si uede in certi marmi scolpite diuerse insegne militari tutti li sopradetti luochi terminauano il foro Romano. Marco sadeler excudit 3
Translation
TO THE EMPEROR CAESAR LUCIUS SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS PIUS PERTINAX AUGUSTUS, FATHER OF THE COUNTRY, CONQUEROR OF THE PARTHIANS, ARABIANS, AND ADIABENIANS. Remains of the Arch of Septimius Severus, which was of composite workmanship, and on both sides are seen sculpted the images of his victories, and above, at the sign A, there may be read an inscription in his honor. At the sign B is seen the Temple of Saturn, which was adorned on the outside with stucco and on the inside with various mixed stones; some believe that the treasury was in this temple, and today it is dedicated to Saint Adrian. At the sign C is the Church of Saint Martina, in which is seen a much ruined temple, which was the Temple of Mars, as may be seen there in certain marbles carved with various military insignia; all the aforementioned places bordered the Roman Forum. Marco Sadeler excudit 3
Connected Texts
Rudolf II
Sadeler was the court engraver for Rudolf II, whose fascination with antiquity and 'natural magic' drove the production of such detailed studies.
Marsilio Ficino
The Renaissance project of documenting Roman ruins was fueled by the Neoplatonic belief in 'Prisca Sapientia', or ancient wisdom hidden in classical remains.
Provenance & Source
Object
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
paper
height 159 mm x width 271 mm
architectural
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 2, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.