Ancient Treasures

As far as we know, the history of art reproductions takes us back to Imperial Rome, where bronze and marble reproductions of Greek masterpieces served as decoration for lavish Roman villas and gardens. The art of casting is thousands of years old - terracottas, bronzes and ancient glass were cast from molds. Archaeological reproductions reappeared all over Europe in the mid-18th century, coinciding with the search for new artistic styles which took inspiration from the roots of classic art (neoclassicism), and the discovery of Herculaneum in 1738 and Pompeii in 1748. As a result of French expeditions to Egypt during the nineteenth century, a casting facility was set up next to the Louvre Museum where many important archaeological pieces from ancient Egypt were reproduced. Following the example of the Louvre, other leading European museums began to reproduce some of the masterpieces in their collections, thus initiating a trend that continues to this day. To view our selection, please click on one of the available categories to the left.