At Nympharum Hecates Scapulis Timor Addidit Alas

Art Historical Context

This delicate etching by Léon Davent captures a moment of mythological drama, as suggested by its evocative Latin title: “But Fear added wings to the shoulders of Hecate’s nymphs.” Created between 1526 and 1550, the small print depicts graceful nymphs moving through a wooded landscape, their forms intertwined with trees and foliage. Davent, a French printmaker active during the School of Fontainebleau, specialized in translating the elegant, elongated figures and fantastical subjects favored by court artists into the more accessible medium of etching. Etching allowed artists like Davent to achieve fluid lines and atmospheric effects that suited the period’s taste for Ovidian myths and allegorical scenes. Though the sheet has been trimmed over time, its compact size—roughly five by nine inches—hints at its original role as a collectible work meant for private contemplation rather than large-scale display. The presence of Hecate, the ancient goddess associated with magic and the night, adds a layer of mystery to the otherwise serene natural setting. Today housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, the work reflects the Renaissance fascination with classical literature and the growing popularity of reproductive prints that spread mythological imagery across Europe. Its fine detail invites viewers to linger on both the story and the artist’s skillful handling of light and texture.

About the Artist

Léon Davent · 1540–1556

**Léon Davent** (also known as Master L.D. or the monogrammist L.D.) was a French printmaker active in the mid-16th century, best known for his work in both engraving and etching. He played a leading role in the printmaking workshop associated with the First School of Fontainebleau at the Palace of Fontainebleau during the 1540s. His prints, often signed simply “L.D.,” reproduced designs by Italia...