Abstract
Examination of Philipp von Stosch's documentation of engraved gems, discovered in previously unknown archival sources in the Princes Czartoryski Museum in Krakow and other public and private collections, considerably advances our understanding of the move from antiquarianism to proto-archaeology in the eighteenth century.
Highlights
Philipp von Stosch (1691–1757) (Figure 1) is regarded as one of the most instrumental figures in eighteenth-century antiquarianism (Hansson 2014)
While previous research has focused on his life and role as a collector (Lewis 1967; Zazoff & Zazoff 1983: 3–67), the production of his outstanding book on gems (signed by ancient masters and published in 1724 (Heringa 1976; Zazoff & Zazoff 1983: 24–50; Whiteley 1999)) and his collection of engraved gems published by Winckelmann in 1760 (Borbein et al 2019), his other contributions to academia have been overlooked
This article considers his skill in building and managing collections and, perhaps most importantly, his collaboration with numerous artists who produced drawings apparently intended as illustrations for his virtually unrecognised scholarly projects
Summary
Examination of Philipp von Stosch’s documentation of engraved gems, discovered in previously unknown archival sources in the Princes Czartoryski Museum in Krakow and other public and private collections, considerably advances our understanding of the move from antiquarianism to proto-archaeology in the eighteenth century.
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