Apollo and Clytie

Art Historical Context

This etching, titled *Apollo and Clytie*, captures a moment from classical mythology through the combined efforts of painter Laurent de La Hyre and engraver François de Poilly. Created in 1606 and measuring just over six by nine inches, print depicts the sun god Apollo alongside the nymph Clytie, with visual elements including arrows and female figures that evoke themes of divine pursuit and transformation. As a second state of two, it reflects the careful refinement typical of reproductive prints from this era. Etching allowed artists like Poilly to translate La Hyre’s designs into widely accessible images, playing a vital role in spreading knowledge of mythological stories and artistic styles across Europe during the early seventeenth century. La Hyre, working in the French Baroque tradition with its emphasis on clarity and classical ideals, contributed compositions that balanced dramatic narrative with elegant line work, while the medium itself offered fine detail and tonal subtlety suited to intimate viewing. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, this work highlights how prints bridged painting and popular culture, inviting viewers to engage with ancient tales through affordable, portable art. Its acquisition through the Elisha Whittelsey Fund underscores its value as both a technical achievement and a window into the enduring appeal of Greco-Roman subjects.

About the Artist

Laurent de La Hyre|Francois de Poilly · 1606–1656

Laurent de La Hyre (1606–1656) was a French painter whose elegant, classical compositions placed him among the finest artists of the first generation of French Baroque painters working in Paris. Born into an artistic family — his father Étienne de La Hyre was also a painter — Laurent received his early training largely through independent study rather than formal apprenticeship under a single domi...