Cimon and Pero
Medium
Etching; second state of two (Hollstein)
Dimensions
Sheet (Trimmed): 5 11/16 × 3 11/16 in. (14.4 × 9.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.7644
Tags
Art Historical Context
This intimate etching captures the poignant Roman legend of "Cimon and Pero," also known as "Roman Charity." In the story, Pero secretly breastfeeds her imprisoned father, Cimon, to save him from starvation—a powerful emblem of filial piety and self-sacrifice. The composition centers on their tender, vulnerable exchange, highlighting the contrast between her nurturing form and his weakened state. Created around 1631 after a design by Peter Paul Rubens, the print reflects the Flemish master’s Baroque sensibility, with its dramatic lighting, emotional intensity, and sensual treatment of the hum...
About the Artist
Peter Paul Rubens|Frans van den Wyngaerde|Willem Panneels · 1577–1640
Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) stands as the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition and the greatest exponent of Baroque painting's dynamism, vitality, and sensuous exuberance. Born in Siegen, Westphalia, and raised in Antwerp, Rubens received a humanist education studying Latin and classical literature before pursuing artistic training under three masters: Tobias Verhaecht, Adam ...