Love Conquers All (Omnia vincit Amor), in a struggle with a satyr Amor places his right knee on its thigh, two nude nymphs are seated with interlocking legs at the base of a tree
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 5 x 7 7/16 in. (12.7 x 18.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.320
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the spirited engraving *Love Conquers All (Omnia Vincit Amor)* from 1599, Agostino Carracci captures a dynamic mythological tussle. Cupid, the god of love, dominates a leering satyr by pressing right knee firmly on its thigh, symbolizing love's triumph over base desires. At the base of a gnarled tree, two nymphs sit with elegantly interlocking legs, their poised forms adding grace and sensuality to the scene. Measuring just 5 x 7 7/16 inches, this intimate print invites close viewing. Agostino Carracci, a master engraver of the Bolognese school alongside his brothers Annibale and Ludovico,...
About the Artist
Agostino Carracci · 1557–1602
Agostino left his profession as a tailor to become an artist. His earliest works were engravings, which was an extremely profitable practice and he was famed for having attained new heights of perfection. He was also a skilled painter and collaborated with his famous relations on various commisions. Comment on works: Religious; Portraits.