Palatium Maius Ro, from a Series of 24 Depicting (Reconstructed) Buildings from Roman Antiquity

Perspectival view of part of the remains of the Imperial palace complex on the Palatine Hill, here referred to as the ‘Palatium Maius Ro.’. It is not clear which palace or part of a palace is depicted exactly and a comparison with other historic drawings and prints as well as the current-day remains indicates that the printmaker has ‘completed’ certain parts of the building that had been lost. As with his depiction of the Baths of Diocletian, he also reduced the amount of rubble and overgrowth to lay bare the fundamental structure of the building.

The print is part of a group of architectural prints depicting buildings from Roman Antiquity, ranging from triumphal arches to bath houses, temples and palaces in Italy, France and Spain. Some of the buildings have been artificially reconstructed based on Medieval descriptions, while others are depicted in their ruinous states. The plates are known in several (uncatalogued) states, and have undergone minor changes over time. Several titles of buildings have been changed, and the plates have been cropped as a result of plate cracks and oxidation.

Most copper plates for this series have been engraved on both sides. This print is taken from the same plate as the 'Pantheon Rome'.