Mausoleum of Augustus - Giovanni Giacomo de' Rossi

A 17th-century architectural engraving by Giovanni Giacomo de' Rossi depicting the Mausoleum of Augustus in Rome as it appeared in the Baroque era.

This architectural engraving depicts the Mausoleum of Augustus in Rome, a structure that has undergone numerous transformations since its construction in the 1st century BC. Giovanni Giacomo de' Rossi, a prominent Roman publisher and printmaker, produced this work as part of a broader documentation of the city's antiquities. The print captures the site during the 17th century, when the ruins were repurposed as a garden and amphitheatre by the Soderini family.

The composition provides an elevated perspective of the circular structure. The artist employs precise line work to delineate the masonry of the outer walls, the terraced levels, and the internal garden layout. The inclusion of small figures at the base provides a sense of scale, contrasting the monumental nature of the Roman tomb with the domestic structures surrounding it. The text at the bottom of the plate offers a contemporary description of the site, noting the presence of granite obelisks and the specific use of the space as a garden at the time of publication.

De' Rossi's work is characteristic of the period's interest in topography and the preservation of classical history through print media. By documenting the physical state of the mausoleum, the engraving provides a record of how Roman ruins were integrated into the urban fabric of the early modern city. The technical execution reflects the standard of 17th-century Italian printmaking, where clarity of form and descriptive detail were prioritised to serve both scholarly and aesthetic interests. This print is an example of the archival efforts undertaken by Roman publishers to catalogue the city's architectural heritage for a European audience.