Italy.- Italian School (probably late 16th century to 18th century) Album containing 72 illustrations of the sculptural reliefs on Trajan's Column, a composite group with drawings by at least two variant hands, showing scenes illustrating the events of the Dacian Wars as depicted on Trajan's Column, pen and ink with wash, on various laid papers, some late 17th century and 18th century watermarks present, various sizes between 275 x 285 and 280 x 430 mm (11 x 17 in), all neatly mounted onto early 19th century wove paper album leaves, the earlier drawings with losses and extensive repairs, some laid onto support, heavy toning and surface dirt throughout, remboitage in 18th century morocco, rebacked, upper cover gilt with royal coat of arms of Phillip V of Spain, worn, oblong folio, [probably circa 1580 to 1780]

Provenance:
Private collection, Somerset, UK

⁂ Cohesive collection of drawings by two artists from slightly different periods, both presumably familiar with the drawings of Girolamo Muziano (1528-1592), which were engraved by Francesco Villamena (c.1565-1624) and published in 1576. The drawings in the present album suggest that the artists were less interested in accurately recording the Column's frieze, but moreover illustrating the historic compositions with a contemporary style, which they presented in a horizontal format. The sculptural reliefs of Trajan's Column were to fascinate and inspire artists as diverse as Amico Aspertini, Francesco Primaticcio, Rubens, Nicolas Poussin, and Giovanni Battista Piranesi amongst many others.