While some ancient authorities believe this to be a portrait of Dido as described by Virgil, modern opinion holds that this is Melpomene, the Muse of Tragedy, wearing Carthaginian costume, holding a sword in a strange sheath with a mushroom-shaped tip. Copperplate engraved by Tommaso Piroli from his own "Antichita di Ercolano" (Antiquities of Herculaneum), Rome, 1789. Italian artist and engraver Piroli (1752-1824) published six volumes between 1789 and 1807 documenting the murals and bronzes found in Heraculaneum and Pompeii.

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Size: 4845px × 6054px
Photo credit: © Florilegius / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1789, antichita, antiquities, art, artist, bacchus, bronze, carthaginian, civilization, copperplate, costume, dido, engraver, engraving, ercolano, fresco, fruit, herculaneum, isis, italian, melpomense, mural, muse, mushroom, myth, painting, pillar, piroli, pompeii, roman, rome, sculpture, sheath, stage, sword, tommaso, tragedy, virgil, wall