Roman Battle Scenes Beside a Round Tower, Trajan's Column, 1722

This is an original antique copper engraving, uncolored, a double page folding plate from Montfaucon's Antiquity Explained, and Represented in Sculptures, printed in London by J. Tonson and J. Watts in 1722. Two broad numbered battle scenes fill the sheet. In the upper scene a round brick tower stands at the left; below it bearded men in cloaks with ornamented oval shields struggle with soldiers, men are seized by the hair, and others kneel or lie fallen, with trees at the right. In the lower scene small wheeled carts loaded with goods run along the top edge with men lying beside them; at the left bare chested men swing clubs and a long haired figure lifts a billowing veil, while horsemen with ornamented oval shields, helmeted men and a seated wounded man fill the rest of the band, with trees at either end.

Both scenes are captioned "Col, Trajane", meaning Trajan's Column in Rome. The two figures are numbered 1 and 2. The corners read "Page 68" at top right, "Vol IV" at foot left and "Plate 19" at foot right; the engraved plate number is 19.

Bernard de Montfaucon (1655 to 1741) was a French Benedictine monk and scholar. His L'Antiquité expliquée et représentée en figures appeared in Paris in 1719, and this English translation by David Humphreys, Antiquity Explained, and Represented in Sculptures, was printed in London by J. Tonson and J. Watts in 1722. Volume four deals with war, and this plate belongs to its sequence on battle. Montfaucon drew together figures copied from ancient monuments and the publications of earlier antiquaries, and where he named a source he engraved it beside the figure.

The two long bands balance well and suit a wide frame.

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