Plate 12: Illustration to Canto XII, from Torquato Tasso's 'Gerusalemme liberata III' 1585 - 1630

Antonio Tempesta created this engraving, Plate 12, illustrating Canto XII from Torquato Tasso's 'Gerusalemme liberata III', sometime in the late 16th or early 17th century. Tempesta’s print exemplifies the visual culture of early modern Europe, where printed images played a crucial role in disseminating stories and shaping public opinion. Based in Italy, Tempesta capitalized on the growing demand for accessible art, producing numerous prints for a wide audience. This image references the historical context of the Crusades, blending religious fervor with political ambition. The dramatic scene and ornate border speak to the theatricality of Baroque art. The institutions of art at the time, like print workshops and patronage systems, shaped artistic production. Tempesta’s work reflects and reinforced the social hierarchies and religious sentiments of his time. Historians study prints like this in the context of social and institutional histories. Catalogues and other primary source documents give us ways to better understand the meaning of art as contingent on social context.