Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: Castrum 1581

This print of the Castrum Praetorium was made by Giovanni Ambrogio Brambilla around 1590, using an engraving technique. The design is carefully incised into a metal plate, which then transfers ink onto paper. What’s fascinating is that printmaking, unlike painting or sculpture, is inherently a reproductive medium. It is connected to the world of industry and labor. This print belongs to a series called Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae, which translates to Mirror of Roman Magnificence. By circulating images of important Roman structures, printmakers like Brambilla participated in the era’s booming market for imagery, and democratized access to visions of antiquity. Notice the incredible detail of the line work. With skillful cuts, Brambilla was able to reproduce not just the plan of the ancient barracks, but also a sense of its architectural grandeur. In doing so, he elevated a mode of production to high art, and also reminds us that the aesthetic experience is always related to labor.