Pietro Santi Bartoli’s etching, “Aftermath of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge”, c.1660, after Giulio Romano

Pietro Santi Bartoli (1635–1700)

“Aftermath of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge”, c.1660 (1650–1677), from a series of thirteen plates, “History of Emperor Constantine”, after Giulio Romano (aka Giulio Giannuzzi; Giulio Pippi) (c.1499–1546) frescoes in the Sala di Costantino, Vatican Palace, published in Rome by Giovanni Giacomo de' Rossi (aka Giovanni Jacomo de' Rossi; Jo Jacobus de Rubeis) (1627–1691).

Etching with engraving on laid paper.

Size: (sheet) 15.4 x 31.6 cm; (plate) 9.6 x 39.1 cm; (image borderline) 8.5 x 37.9 cm.

Numbered in plate within the image borderline near portrayed events from “1” to “4” as index keys to Latin explanations below the image borderline.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: “1 Tropheo infidet Constantinus uictor, captiuis coram se deductis. 2 Hostibusq. in Tyberi submerses. 3 Maxentii Tyramni cadauer expiscantur 4 Criptis, latebrisq. prosiliunt Xñi proceres, uictricemq Crucem extollunt, uernerantur (Google Transl.: 1 Constantine the victor trusts in the trophy, the captives brought before him. 2 Hostibusq. drowned in the Tiber. 3 The corpse of Maxentius Tyramnus is hunted down 4 Crypts, secretly 11 nobles leap, triumphantly lift up the Cross, are slain)/ (left) Iulius R. I.    Petrus S. B. Sculps. (right) Romæ Apud Io. Iacobum de Rubeis Alla Pace   S.p.“

Nagler/Meyer 1020-1029 (Julius Meyer 1872–85, “Allgemeines Künstler-Lexicon” [Edition: 2nd revised edition of Nagler's artist lexicon], vol. 3, Leipzig, p. 56, cat. nos. 1020–1029); Massari 235 (Stefania Massari 1993, “Giulio Romano pinxit et delineavit”, Rome, cat. no. 235).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “The aftermath of the battle of the Milvian Bridge, with at right the emperor crowned by Victory, and listening to the prisoners brought before him; at centre, horses and men agonizing on a river bank, and on the left Maxentius' body being rescued from the river, and a river god reclining in the foreground; after Giulio Romano” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1873-1213-543)

See also the description of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.75117.

Condition: a strong impression with reasonably wide margins in an excellent condition with flattened centre-fold and no tears, holes, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this interestingly indexed etching showing episodes following the battle of the Milvian Bridge—see for example the explanation for index number “1” (at right) wherein captives are brought to Constantine the Great (the crowned victor of the battle)—for AU$282 (currently US$188.49/EUR170.54/GBP150.13 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries.

If you are interested in purchasing this visually engaging frieze bringing together the grim reality of the events after the battle—such as the dragging of Maxentius Tyramnus’ body from the Tiber into a boat (shown at upper left at “3”)—and mythological figures—see the river god holding a cornucopia and a spilling urn of water (at lower left at “2”) and the winged Goddess of Victory holding a laurel wreath above the head of Constantine at far right—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold