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A pair of classical Roman gods in chariots in the clouds in the sky, each set in oval lozenge. Jupiter's chariot is drawn by a pair of eagles and decorated with gilt carved eagles and a pair of winged monopodia. He holds lightning bolts, his emblem (Jupiter was the Roman version of the Greek god Zeus). Mars, the god of war based on the Greek god Ares, is depicted as a nude male gladiator with a helmet and spear, on a horse-drawn chariot decorated with carved battle scenes. The print of Jupiter is dedicated, "Agli Amator e Promotori delle Scienze Belle Arti," i.e. to amateurs and professionals of the discipline of the fine arts. Mars is dedicated to various dignitaries and patrons.
The images are based on frescoes in by Raphael, generally considered one of the greatest artists of the Italian High Renaissance and an accomplished architect as well. As chief archeologist to the Pope, he was involved in the excavation of the ancient Golden House of Nero, and adapted many of the elaborate Roman frescoes he saw there in creating his own innovative painted wall and ceiling designs in the Vatican and private villas in Rome. Stefano Tofanelli was an Italian painter as well.
The early 19th century saw a tremendous revival of interest in the classical art of ancient Greece and Rome, as well as the Classicism of the Renaissance. Prints such as these served both as art historical references for architects and designers and as artwork in their own right.