L'Asinaria (Allegory of Stupidity)

Michele Lucchese

1564 · Engraving · Drawings and Prints

The title of this print, L’Asinaria), refers to the comic play by the Roman author Titus Maccius Plautus (c.254–184 B C ). The ruins in the background have been identified as the Forum of Nerva in Rome and the subject interpreted as showing how lack of respect for the arts and sciences constitutes a menace to civilisation. A first state of this print is in the Istituto Centrale per la Grafica, Rome. This print is the second state with additional lettering and the plaque in the upper left of the first state divided in two. See Mark McDonald, The Print Collection of Cassiano dal Pozzo (Ceremonies, Costumes, Portraits and Genre), London 2017, Vol. 1, cat.no.413.

Artist

Michele Lucchese

Date

1564

Medium

Engraving

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 2019