A Sea Nymph and a Triton on a Dolphin
18th century
Medium
Pen and gray ink, red chalk, red and gray wash. Framing line in pen and gray ink (possible by the artist).
Dimensions
sheet: 7 1/2 x 10 13/16 in. (19.1 x 27.5 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 2008
Accession Number
2008.250
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate 18th-century drawing by Peter Anton von Verschaffelt captures a lively mythological scene of a sea nymph and a triton perched atop a dolphin. Created with pen and gray ink, red chalk, and layered red and gray washes, the work showcases the fluid lines and tonal subtlety typical of preparatory studies from the period. Measuring just 7½ by 10⅞ inches, the sheet’s intimate scale invites close viewing of the’s confident handling of movement and form. The subject draws on classical mythology, whereons and nymphs personify the sea’s vitality and grace. Such marine themes were popular ...