Laocoön en zijn twee zonen gedood door slangen
Hans Brosamer
1538
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
92; 63
About this artwork
gravure
Art Historical Context
Behold the dramatic engraving *Laocoön en zijn zonen gedood door slangen* (Laocoön and His Two Sons Killed by Sn), created by German artist Hans Brosamer in 1538. Measuring just 92mm high by 63mm wide, this intimate print captures the mythic torment of the Trojan priest Laocoön and his sons, entwined and slain by sea serpents—a scene drawn from Virgil's *Aeneid*. Brosamer, a prolific Northern Renaissance engraver active in the 16th century, masterfully reproduced this iconic motif, making classical antiquity accessible to a wider audience. The subject references the ancient Laocoön statue gro...