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The Rape of the Sabines

Print
c.1575-1650 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A reversed copy of Cherubino Alberti's engraving depicting the Rape of the Sabine Women. Within the period between 1570 and 1615, Alberti produced a series of prints which formed a frieze, and detailed the events surrounding the Rape of the Sabines. Alberti based his engravings on the paintings produced by Polidoro da Caravaggio for the Palazzo Ricci in Rome.

This particular print from the series depicts the Rape of the Sabine Women, an episode of Roman history dated to around 750 BC. The episode witnesses the first generation of Roman men acquiring wives from the neighbouring Sabine families, as ordered by Romulus, the founder of Rome. Whilst the English word rape is derived from the Latin 'rapito', the Roman episode is not one of sexual violation. In its Latin context, 'rapito' actually means ‘abduction’.


Object details

Category
Object type
TitleThe Rape of the Sabines (popular title)
Materials and techniques
Brief description
A reverse copy by an anonymous printmaker of Cherubino Alberti's engraving after Polidoro da Caravaggio.
Physical description
A reversed copy of Alberti's engraving of the Rape of the Sabine Women.
Dimensions
  • Sheet height: 162mm
  • Sheet width: 251mm
  • Plate height: 153mm
  • Plate width: 242mm
  • Image height: 153mm
  • Image width: 219mm
Content description
Engraved image depicting the rape of the Sabine women.
Style
Marks and inscriptions
  • Romulidae spreti ludi connubia quaerunt / Dum cadit in quasuis rapta Sabina manus (Inscribed within cartouche below image)
  • Cum privilego. Sumi Pontificis (Inscribed to lower right within cartouche below image)
  • POLYDORUS DE CARAVAGIO INVENT (Inscribed within cartouche below image)
Subjects depicted
Summary
A reversed copy of Cherubino Alberti's engraving depicting the Rape of the Sabine Women. Within the period between 1570 and 1615, Alberti produced a series of prints which formed a frieze, and detailed the events surrounding the Rape of the Sabines. Alberti based his engravings on the paintings produced by Polidoro da Caravaggio for the Palazzo Ricci in Rome.

This particular print from the series depicts the Rape of the Sabine Women, an episode of Roman history dated to around 750 BC. The episode witnesses the first generation of Roman men acquiring wives from the neighbouring Sabine families, as ordered by Romulus, the founder of Rome. Whilst the English word rape is derived from the Latin 'rapito', the Roman episode is not one of sexual violation. In its Latin context, 'rapito' actually means ‘abduction’.
Bibliographic reference
112 von Bartsch, Adam, 'Le Peintre Graveur', Vol. 17, 1803.
Collection
Accession number
26010:2

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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