Plate 2: Two-handled vase with a nude figure on a pedestal at center, from "Antique Vases" (‘Vasa a Polydoro Caravagino’) 1605

Aegidius Sadeler II made this print, "Two-handled vase with a nude figure on a pedestal at center, from 'Antique Vases'," in Rome during a time when the city was being rebuilt as a center for artistic and intellectual life. Sadeler's work, made with engraving, reflects a growing interest in classical antiquity. The vase itself becomes a canvas, displaying idealized human figures in relief. The print is not just an aesthetic object; it's a piece of cultural commentary. It suggests that classical ideals of beauty and form are worth reviving and celebrating, tying into a broader movement where artists were encouraged to look to the past for inspiration. The art institutions of the time, like the Roman Academy, played a crucial role in shaping such tastes, promoting certain styles, and influencing artistic careers. By studying collections and archives, we can better understand how prints like this operated within the art world and the broader social and cultural landscape of seventeenth-century Rome.