A masterfully executed 18th-century copper engraving by Domenico Cunego, depicting the Arab philosopher Averroes. Part of the celebrated series based on Raphael’s Vatican frescoes.
This striking portrait captures Averroes in profile with an intense gaze of concentration. The work highlights the intricate folds of his turban and his lean features. Cunego’s technique translates the fresco’s textures into sharp, precise lines that define the subject’s scholarly aura.
Averroes (Ibn Rushd) is a key figure representing the bridge between Islamic scholarship and Western philosophy. Shown leaning over Pythagoras, his presence symbolizes the preservation and transmission of classical thought during the Middle Ages and its profound influence on the Renaissance.
Domenico Cunego (Italian, 1726–1803)
Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, 1483–1520)
Copper Engraving / Etching
Circa 1785
Scuola d’Atene (The School of Athens)
Laid paper (typical of late 18th-century European prints)
Rome, Italy
Cunego was celebrated for his technical fidelity to the original Vatican frescoes. This 1780s series disseminated Raphael’s imagery to a European audience hungry for classical knowledge. Plate 18 highlights the intercultural dialogue that Raphael intended to portray in the Stanza della Segnatura.
Detailed descriptions of paper quality, margins, and preservation state.
Direct history of the collection’s origin.
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