Italica near Seville, Antique View of the Roman Ruins with Friars, circa 1850

This is a view of the Roman site of Italica near Seville, an original antique steel engraving, uncolored, circa 1850. The caption is lettered ITHALICA, an old spelling of the name.

A broad plain runs back to a distant walled town with domes, towers and a long arcaded building under a stormy, sunlit sky. In the foreground a group of friars in white habits and broad hats stands talking with a man in a hat among the ruins. A fallen column drum lies at the lower left, a carved capital at the center and a decorated stone block at the right. Tall flowering agaves and spiky plants rise at the left, and two small figures walk among the overgrown remains in the middle distance.

The engraver's credit Stahlst. v. H. Emden is engraved at the lower right just below the image, followed by an abbreviation for Frankfurt am Main; it means steel engraving by H. Emden. Below the caption the plate carries the house imprint, Aus d. Kunstanst. d. Bibliogr. Inst. in Hildbh. at the lower left and Eigenthum d. Verleger at the lower right. The first is the art works of the Bibliographisches Institut in Hildburghausen, the second reads "property of the publishers." A roman plate number is engraved at the top right.

The sheet comes from a dealer's album rather than from a bound set. Its imprint is that of Meyer's Universum, a serial collection of engraved views with descriptive text, published by Joseph Meyer's Bibliographisches Institut at Hildburghausen from 1833, its plates engraved on steel. Italica, at present-day Santiponce just north of Seville, was a Roman city and the birthplace of the emperor Trajan.

Marked handling soiling along the bottom, left and top edges. A few small foxing spots in the margin. Corners and edges are not shown by this scan. Clean, even paper tone in the margin.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.