Girolamo Olgiati

His career as an engraver flourished in Venice during the late 16th century, a period when printmaking played a significant role in spreading Renaissance art and ideas across Europe.

The work is part of Olgiati’s broader exploration of combining artistic innovation with traditional subject matter, showcasing his ability to blend detail and expression in his engravings.

[5] The work reflects the Renaissance humanist fascination with classical antiquity and the revival of ancient scholarship, making it a significant contribution to the intellectual and artistic culture of the period.

One notable engraving from this collection is Olgiati’s depiction of Pyrrho of Elis, an influential philosopher known for his role in the development of skepticism in ancient Greece.

One example is his portrayal of the Pre-Socratic philosopher Anaximenes of Miletus, featured in the collection Illustrium philosophorum, et sapientum effigies ab eorum numismatibus extractae.

“Creation of Eve” by Girolamo Olgiati, courtesy of the National Galleries of Scotland.
Imaginary engraving of Pyrrho of Elis from *Illustrium philosophorum et sapientum effigies ab eorum numismatibus extractae*. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
An imaginative engraving of Anaximenes of Miletus from Olgiati’s collection *Illustrium philosophorum, et sapientum effigies ab eorum numismatibus extractae*.