Justice, frontispiece from the "Seven Deadly Sins"
ca. 1550–55
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet (trimmed/oval): 10 5/16 × 11 9/16 in. (26.2 × 29.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1949
Accession Number
49.50.212
Tags
Art Historical Context
"Justice," an etching by Léon Davent after Luca Penni, dates to around 1550–55 and serves as the striking frontispiece for a series on the Seven Deadly Sins. Created the Mannerist period at the Fontainebleau School in France, this print reflects the era's elegant, elongated figures and intricate symbolism, blending Italian Renaissance influences with French courtly sophistication. Penni, an Italian artist who worked under Francesco Primaticcio, designed the composition, while Davent, a master etcher, brought it to life with fine lines and tonal depth. The central female figure embodies Justic...