The imitation of the ancients and the value of novelty in the work of Roman artistic workshops of the 16th century

Abstract

With examination of the graphic heritage of artists who worked in Rome in the 16th century we can find many examples of sketches of ancient monuments, which became examples and reference material for the artistic workshops. In this regard, our interest is not only what antiquities were captured by the artists, but also the question of how accurate such sketches were. The Roman workshops of Cinquecento were faced with the demand for creative novelty and the conscious imitation of their art simultaneously.