Dido op haar sterfbed
ca. 1872 - 1879
Medium
etching
Dimensions
406; 520
About this artwork
height 406 mm x width 520 mm
Art Historical Context
This etching by Belgian artist Auguste Numans captures the poignant final moments of Dido, the tragic queen of Carthage from classical mythology. Created between 1872 and 1879, the work portrays her on her deathbed, a scene drawn from Virgil’s *Aeneid*. The horizontal format, measuring 406 by 520 millimeters, allows the composition to unfold with a sense of solemn intimacy, inviting viewers to reflect on themes of love, betrayal, and sacrifice. As an etching, the medium offered Numans precise line work and tonal depth, techniques prized in the nineteenth century for reproducing dramatic narra...
About the Artist
Auguste Numans · 1822–1901
Auguste Numans (1822–1901) was a Belgian painter, draftsman, and printmaker whose career spanned the full breadth of Belgium's cultural golden age in the 19th century. Born on April 22, 1823, in Brussels (though some historical records suggest Antwerp), and dying on October 16, 1901, in Brussels, Numans worked during a period when Belgian art achieved international recognition through figures like...