Bilder Bernard de Montfaucon (1655–1741) – Study of Tritons, Nereids, and Sea Horses – Engraving (1719)

Beskrivning

"Tritons. Nereides. Chevaux Marins." This eighteenth-century engraving provides a compendium of classical maritime mythological figures derived from ancient gems, coins, and sculptures. The upper register features a large decorative frieze of a Triton with a bifurcated serpentine tail, while the lower sections illustrate various cameos and coins depicting Nereids riding sea horses (hippocampus) and other hybrid aquatic creatures. The plate serves as a systematic archaeological record, citing contemporary collections and scholars such as Maffei, Beger, and Baudelot. This work was published in Paris as part of Montfaucon’s monumental series, L'Antiquité expliquée et représentée en figures, which aimed to document the customs and beliefs of the ancient world through its surviving visual culture.

Bernard de Montfaucon was a French Benedictine monk and a founding figure of modern archaeology and palaeography. He was a member of the Congregation of Saint Maur and dedicated his life to the scholarly examination of ancient texts and monuments. His multi-volume publication, L'Antiquité expliquée, was a landmark in the history of art and science, being the first work to use high-quality engravings to provide a comprehensive visual encyclopedia of antiquity. Montfaucon’s methodology of comparing physical artifacts with literary sources established a new standard for historical research and significantly influenced the development of Neoclassicism in Europe.

Artist or Maker: Bernard de Montfaucon.

Dimensions: Approximately 42 cm x 28 cm.

Medium: Engraving.

Date: 1719.

Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.