Geneological Tree of Trojan Heroes – Thesaurus Antiquitatum et Historiarum Italiae
Genealogical Tree of Trojan Heroes
Engraving from Thesaurus Antiquitatum et Historiarum Italiae (Leiden, 1704–1725), edited by Johann Georg Graevius and published by Pieter van der Aa.
This engraving presents a genealogical tree of figures from Trojan legend. At the base are Antenor and his wife Theano, from whom branch numerous Trojan warriors and princes named in Homeric and post-Homeric tradition. Among them are Laocoön, Glaucus, Polydamas, Crinus, Archilochus, Iphidamas, Medon, Acamas, and many others, each inscribed within a circular medallion set among the tree’s branches.
The scene is enriched with symbolic details: at left, a trophy of arms evokes the martial valor of the Trojans, while at right, a domed temple with statue alludes to the sacred foundations of their lineage. Such visual genealogies were a hallmark of antiquarian scholarship, presenting mythological descent in a format reminiscent of heraldic family trees.
Leiden between 1704 and 1725
Each Plate Approx 28 x 48 cm (Full Sheet Including Margins)
The Thesaurus Antiquitatum et Historiarum Italiae formed part of the monumental Thesaurus Antiquitatum et Historiarum series compiled by Johann Georg Graevius (1632–1703) and published in Leiden between 1704 and 1725. Overseen by the Dutch publisher Pieter van der Aa, the folio volumes combined texts, inscriptions, and richly engraved illustrations of monuments and antiquities from across Italy.
Many of the plates, such as those from the Monumenta Brixiana section devoted to finds from Brescia, document Roman statues, coins, inscriptions, and architectural remains. Executed in van der Aa’s workshop, the engravings often drew on earlier antiquarian sources but were presented in a format that reflected the 18th-century revival of interest in classical antiquity.
Conceived as a comprehensive resource for scholars, the Thesaurus also became a visual library for artists and thinkers of the early Neoclassical age, preserving and disseminating the legacy of ancient Italy through both scholarship and imagery.
Sheet with margins (note paper loss on right margin)
