Berg Athos uitgehakt in de vorm van een reus door architect van paus Alexander VIII 1649 - 1681

François Spierre made this print of Berg Athos in the shape of a giant, likely in the 1670s. It depicts an episode from the history of Mount Athos, a mountain and peninsula in Northern Greece that has been a major center of Eastern Orthodox monasticism since the 10th century. The image presents the mountain as a reclining giant, with monasteries perched on its slopes and a river flowing from its body. In the foreground, monks kneel before an architect presenting plans, presumably for new construction. Hovering cherubs display a banner with a Latin inscription, suggesting papal patronage. The image creates meaning through its blend of classical mythology, Christian symbolism, and architectural representation. Made in Rome, this print likely circulated among elite patrons interested in both religious art and architectural design. We can learn more about the complex relationship between religious institutions and artistic production in the 17th century by exploring sources in monastery archives and the papers of architects and their patrons.