A Roman trophy
1550
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1550
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
A Roman trophy is a 1550 by Unknown, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This print shows a Roman trophy with shields, swords, and other military gear. The trophy is decorated with items that were taken from the enemy. This was a common way to show victory in ancient Rome. The Romans often made trophies out of stone, but this one is shown in a print. You can learn more about this kind of print and others like it by looking into the technique of chiaroscuro.
The engraving depicts a Roman-style trophy from the mid-16th century, featuring an arrangement of shields, helmets, and arrows. Decorative elements include angels supporting the shields, as well as flower motifs, centaurs, sphinxes, and tritons. The composition reflects a tradition of Roman military trophies, originally derived from displaying captured arms on trees and later reinterpreted in stone sculpture. This particular example is believed to commemorate the Roman victory over the Cimbri in 102 BC.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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