Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae: Vespasian, from The Twelve Caesars 1495 - 1539

Marcantonio Raimondi created this engraving of Vespasian as part of his series The Twelve Caesars. It was made in Rome in the early 16th century. Raimondi played a key role in the transformation of printmaking from a craft into a fine art. Here, the Roman emperor is portrayed in profile wearing a laurel wreath. The image is inscribed within a circle, a format often seen on ancient coins. This highlights the renewed interest in classical antiquity that was characteristic of the Renaissance. Raimondi’s prints were often based on drawings and sculptures of classical antiquity, making this portrait part of a broader cultural trend. The papacy, a key institution of the time, promoted the study of the ancient world, seeing it as a way to legitimize its own power and prestige. To understand the appeal of this image, art historians often consult a wide range of sources, from ancient texts to contemporary accounts. The meaning of this image is bound to the social and institutional context of its time.