Plate 9: Allegory of Temperance with a unicorn and Publius Scipio Africanus at bottom, from Barberinae aulae fornix 1672 - 1682

This anonymous etching from 1672–82, titled "Plate 9: Allegory of Temperance with a Unicorn and Publius Scipio Africanus at bottom, from Barberinae aulae fornix," depicts a scene from the Barberini Palace in Rome, Italy. The image features a complex composition of figures, including a unicorn and the Roman general Publius Scipio Africanus. It is a powerful and evocative representation of temperance, a virtue often associated with self-control and moderation. This intricate work of art, which is now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, offers a glimpse into the artistic style and architectural grandeur of 17th-century Rome.