Germany - Ancient Rome; Robert von Spalart - Versuch über das Kostüm – Naumachia romana (Tav. T.FFFF) - 1781-1800

Rare and evocative antique Neoclassical copper engraving with carefully contemporaneous hand colorization in watercolor, depicting the spectacular architectural and archaeological reconstruction of a Roman Naumachia (Naumachia), the grand naval battle spectacle of ancient Rome staged inside a monumental elliptical basin/amphitheater filled with water.

The illustration conveys the imposing scale and technical complexity of the engineering behind Roman amphitheater games:
The basin and the fighting fleets: Within the water-filled arena numerous war galleys rowed by oars, armed with prows and banners, face each other, with the crews of combatants (naumachiarii) arrayed on the decks to simulate historical naval engagements.

The architecture of the amphitheater: The enclosure is surrounded by a vast multi-tiered tiered seating area, crowned by colonnaded galleries with columns and pediments; the main access is dominated by a monumental water-gate with a triumphal arched opening and rusticated pilasters, equestrian statues, and two tall rostrated columns (columnae rostratae) erected to celebrate naval victories.

Incised signatures: At the upper right margin appears the table number "T. FFFF."; at the lower left margin the German work sign "V. ü. d. K. I Ab. III Th." (Versuch über das Kostüm... Abtheilung I, Theil III); bottom right the volume indication "Antiq. Tom. III.".

The original plate is taken from the historical-archaeological treatise by Robert von Spalart (Versuch über das Kostüm der vorzüglichsten Völker des Alterthums...), published around Vienna and Germany between the late 18th and early 19th century. Printed on heavyweight laid paper with a clear and deep impression of the intaglio matrix visible from the reverse.