Triumph of Caesar 1599

Andrea Andreani created this “Triumph of Caesar” print in the late 16th or early 17th century, using woodcut on laid paper. The visual effect is achieved through the process of chiaroscuro, meaning ‘light-dark’ in Italian. Here, several woodblocks would have been used, each inked with a different tone. Andreani was a master of this process, requiring not only the ability to carve the blocks with precision, but also to align them perfectly during printing. The result is a dramatic, almost sculptural effect, heightening the sense of the Caesar’s procession as a grand spectacle. This print demonstrates the growing sophistication of printmaking as a medium. Originally used for disseminating information, the woodcut here approaches the status of high art. Note the labor involved in creating the many blocks needed for this print, a testament to the artistic and technical skill of the printmaker. This challenges our preconceptions about the divide between craft and fine art.