A detailed seventeenth-century etching by Jan de Bisschop, depicting a classical statue of a Vestal Virgin from his publication on ancient sculpture.

This etching by Jan de Bisschop, a Dutch lawyer and artist, originates from his publication 'Signorum Veterum Icones'. This collection provided European artists with visual records of classical sculptures found in Rome. The work depicts a standing female figure draped in traditional Roman garments, positioned beside a small, flaming altar. The artist employs precise, controlled lines to define the folds of the fabric and the contours of the figure, reflecting the technical rigour common in seventeenth-century printmaking.

De Bisschop was instrumental in the dissemination of classical aesthetics during the Dutch Golden Age. By documenting these statues, he allowed artists who could not travel to Italy to study the proportions and poses of antiquity. The figure, identified as a Vestal Virgin, holds a small object in her right hand while her left hand gestures toward the flame. The composition is balanced, focusing on the interaction between the human form and the ritualistic object. The etching captures the texture of the stone through varied hatching techniques, creating a sense of volume and weight. This print serves as a historical record of how classical subjects were interpreted and circulated through the medium of etching in the late seventeenth century. The work remains a clear example of the period's interest in the preservation of antique forms through graphic arts.