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Paper short abstract:

One steel engraving by the Italian painter Andrea Mantegna, probably made in 1480, show us a battle between characters of Neptune kingdom. This communication is about the models of this engraving- like some Roman reliefs and coins, and its political interpretations.

Paper long abstract:

One steel engraving by the Italian painter Andrea Mantegna (c.1431-1506), probably made in 1480, today well know for its artistic relevance, show us a battle between characters of Neptune kingdom. This communication is about the models of this engraving- like some Roman reliefs and coins. It is possible to relate Mantegna's work to the interpretations of Antiquity In Quattrocento. Some of these interpretations are meaningful for the maritime European expansion. If we consider the Sea Gods as political forces- like the European countries fighting for the control of the Oceans- the Mantegna´s engraving can be a very interesting point of reflexion. Sergio Buarque de Holanda, a Brazilian historian, wrote in 1952 a book called "Visão do Paraíso" ("Paradise Vision") that claims a crucial role for Visual Arts in the construction of a ideology for European expansion. This paper proposal is about a interpretation for Mantegna's engraving based on Sergio Buarque de Holanda's book.