A masterfully executed 18th-century copper engraving by Domenico Cunego, depicting the Greek philosopher Aristotle. This piece is part of a celebrated series based on Raphael’s fresco “The School of Athens” in the Apostolic Palace, Vatican City.
This striking portrait showcases Cunego’s technical prowess in line engraving. The work captures Aristotle with a focused, empirical expression, characterized by his thick, curled beard and classical drapery. The stipple and cross-hatching techniques create a remarkable sense of three-dimensionality, honoring the original Renaissance aesthetic while showcasing the precision of the Neoclassical period.
Aristotle is one of the two central figures in Raphael’s fresco. Represented as a man in his prime, he stands as the symbol of terrestrial and scientific inquiry. As the founder of the Lyceum, Aristotle’s presence in this series represents the transition from metaphysical abstraction to the observation of the physical world, serving as a cornerstone of Western logic.
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
Domenico Cunego’s 18th-century series was essential for the academic study of Raphael outside of Italy. By isolating these “heads,” Cunego allowed artists and scholars to study the individual fisonomies and expressions that made Raphael’s work a benchmark for humanism. Plate 31 is a critical piece of this pedagogical legacy.
Detailed descriptions of paper quality, margins, and preservation state.
Direct history of the collection’s origin.
Expertly packed and insured delivery to international collectors and institutions.
