Proportions
“NEC IRA IOVIS”
Landscape with laurel tree
| Catalogue ID | 1.47 |
|---|---|
| Object type | drawing |
| Date | [1639] 1655 |
| Place | Rome |
| Collection | Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (Rome) |
| Inv. no. | I-RVat Ott.lat.2551; 6r |
| Tech. / support | black ink, brown ink, graphite, paper, pen |
| Measures | 350 × 477 mm |
| Subject | 25G3(LAUREL) — trees: laurel 25H23 — sea (seascape) 25I12 — prospect of city, town panorama, silhouette of city 43C2121 — horse-racing 45B — the soldier; the soldier's life 46C131 — riding a horse, ass, or mule; rider, horseman 46C24 — sailing-ship, sailing-boat |
The image depicts a tree, likely a laurel, with dense foliage and a straight trunk. A banner wraps around the trunk with the inscription “NEC IRA IOVIS”. Below the tree, the year 1639 is written. In the background, there is a detailed landscape featuring a fortified city, a harbour with ships, and several mounted figures riding horses, possibly soldiers. The scene is surrounded by hills and mountains, creating a dynamic, historical atmosphere. The Latin motto NEC IRA IOVI translates into English as: Not even the wrath of Jupiter. This suggests resilience or invulnerability, even against the anger of the supreme Roman god, Jupiter (equivalent to Zeus in Greek mythology).
No musical work linked.
Bianco, Anna. Images for the Music: Drawings and secular cantatas. Ph.D. dissertation, Leiden University, 2025
Guerrieri Borsoi, Maria Barbara. Domenico Jacovacci: collezionista e maestro delle strade nella Roma berniniana. Gangemi, 2017. (p. 23)
Guerrieri Borsoi, Maria Barbara. “La Decorazione Dei Manoscritti Di Domenico Jacovacci Nel Fondo Ottoboniano Latino Della Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana.” Miscellanea Bibliothecae Apostolicae Vaticanae, vol. XXII, 2015, pp. 373-431. (p. 408)
Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana
current
View this object in the collection’s online catalogue →
