Eurus, from The Winds
c. 1603
Medium
Engraving on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Sheet (trimmed): 17.8 × 22.9 cm (7 1/16 × 9 1/16 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
267905
Art Historical Context
**Eurus, from *The Winds*** Crispijn van de Passe I (c. 1564–1637), a prolific Dutch engraver from a renowned family of artists, created this striking image around 1603 as part of his series *The Winds*. Eurus, the personification of the stormy east wind from classical mythology, embodies the turbulent forces of nature revered in ancient Greek and Roman lore. Produced during the early Dutch Golden Age, when printmaking flourished as a means to share intricate designs across Europe, van de Passe's work reflects the Northern Mannerist style—characterized by elegant lines, dramatic poses, and s...
About the Artist
Crispijn van de Passe, I · 1565–1637
Crispijn van de Passe the Elder, born around 1564 in the coastal town of Arnemuiden in Zeeland, emerged as a pivotal figure in Northern European printmaking during a turbulent era. He relocated to Antwerp at a young age, the bustling epicenter of engraving, where he trained and worked from 1580 onward, becoming a member of the Guild of Saint Luke in the 1584–1585 guild year. The Spanish siege and ...