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Terracotta Lamps -Winged Victories, Diana, Hercules - Herculaneum


                Piroli 1804 Copper Plate Engraving

An Original Historical Print from HistoryOnPaper

(Below is a rough translation from the French of the engraving's description.)

VOLUME (TOME) VI  --  PLATE 2

The lamps represented in this plate are made of terracotta. To avoid repeating ourselves with each explanation, we warn our readers that in the future we will only mention matter when it changes in nature.

FIG. I and II. The same lamp, more remarkable for its shape than for its ornaments, is represented frontally and in profile.

FIG. III. Two winged Victories support a shield surrounded by an oak wreath; we read in the middle: OB CIVIS (cives) SERVATOS. Below is an altar decorated with festoons and an ox's head, emblem of the great sacrifices. Alongside the altar stand the two laurels which decorated the entrance to the house of Augustus on the Palatine Hill. The writers of the beautiful century of Rome often mention these two laurels. According to the observations of MM. Visconti and Marini on this emblem, we can believe that this lamp was used for the festivals of the Lares Viales, the Gods of the districts of Rome, Gods whose festivals were always celebrated with that of the Genius of Augustus. The spelling of the word civis by I corresponds to this same age: and the civic crown is frequent with the same inscription ob civis servatos, on the reverses of the medals of this prince, who was flattered by this motto.

FIG. IV. Two-wick lamps. On the handle are two chickens, one of which is half-obliterated. Their action, which is to peck on the ground, seems to designate them for the sacred chickens from which the Romans derived omens. The medallion represents a seated Diana, holding a branch in her hand and having a doe in front of her looking at her.

FIG. V. Lamp with a single wick; Hercules with an altar. The object placed on this altar was explained by Mr. Visconti. It is the great cup of Hercules (scyphus Herculaneus) which this hero had received as a gift from the Sun, and which, according to the fable, had, on certain occasions, served as a boat for the son of Alcmene.

Read Historical Note Below.


Type of Print       Lithograph - Wood Engraving - Steel Engraving - Copper Engraving - Photogravure
Printing Year      1804
Artist - Engraver - Publisher      Piroli- Piroli or Leblanc -  P. Piranesi      Printed in Paris
Print Size (Approx)     8  inches  X  11  inches             IMAGE(S) BELOW MAY BE ENLARGED  TO SHOW DETAIL
Paper weight/type     Thin - Medium - Heavy - Other
Reverse side     Blank - Related text/pictures -  Unrelated text/pictures 
Condition      Excellent - Very Good - Good - Fair - Poor (but of historical interest)  
Description    Some expected age & foxing;  a great print with only minor surface, edge and corner faults, and handling wear;       Please inspect image
Notes   


This Is An Original Print from History-On-Paper

HISTORICAL INFORMATION:  This copper plate print (engraving) is from Tommaso


Piroli's (Italian engraver, 1752-1824)  Antiquités d'Herculanum gravées par Th. Piroli avec


une explication par S-Ph Caude, 1804-1806, Paris, F et P Piranesi, T.


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Herculaneum was an ancient Roman town, located in the modern-day comune of Ercolano, Campania, Italy. Herculaneum was buried under volcanic ash and pumice in the Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Like the nearby city of Pompeii, Herculaneum is famous as one of the few ancient cities to be preserved nearly intact, as the ash that blanketed the town protected it against looting and the elements. Although less known than Pompeii today, it was the first and, for a long time, the only discovered Vesuvian city (in 1709). Pompeii was revealed in 1748 and identified in 1763. Unlike Pompeii, the mainly pyroclastic material that covered Herculaneum carbonized and preserved more wooden objects such as roofs, beds, and doors, as well as other organic-based materials such as food and papyrus.


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Volumes 1 - 3 of this classic work on Herculaneum contained plates of art work (pictures) found at the site.

Volume 4 contained engravings of discovered Busts and Reliefs that were created in bronze.  

Volume 5 was of statues found.

Volume 6  contained 50 engravings by Piroli of ancient lamps found in the excavations. 

Herculaneum; a town in Italy which was destroyed along with Pompeii by Mt Vesuvious’ eruption in 79ce. Damaged by an earthquake in A.D. 63, it was completely buried, along with Pompeii Pompeii, ancient city of S Italy, a port near Naples and at the foot of Mt. Vesuvius, by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79. Before the earthquake, it was a popular Roman resort and residential town with fine villas. The first discovery of ruins was made in 1709, and excavations have continued since. Important early finds were the sumptuous so-called Villa of the Papyri (with a large library, and bronze and marble statues), a basilica with fine murals, and a theater. The modern towns of Resina and Portici are on the site.

CONDITION:    Please INSPECT PHOTO. May be Enlarged for viewing.

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This is an original print, not a reproduction.  

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Item #1023-1519