Signorum veterum icones

The 100 plates in Jan de Bisschop’s Signorum veterum icones illustrate a comprehensive survey of the antiquities most celebrated in the 17th century—the Laocoön, the Apollo Belvedere, the Hercules Farnese, the Sleeping Ariadne, and many other renowned works of art. Published in the Netherlands in 1668–69, this influential drawing manual introduced aspiring northern artists to the canon of Western art, which was predominantly Italian and thus—except to the lucky few who could travel to Italy—known largely through prints and copies. De Bisschop probably never went to Italy, so he collaborated with draftsmen like Willem Doudijns, who had lived there for twelve years. Drawing manuals like these were common teaching tools for artists and amateurs alike, for drawing instruction began with learning to copy prints and drawings.