Medea Kills Her Two Children by Jason (Pour qui d'Absyrte a le sang repandu, fait que du sien le tort lui soit rendu...)
Medium
Engraving; second state of three
Dimensions
sheet: 7 5/8 x 11 1/2 in. (19.3 x 29.2 cm) plate: 6 1/4 x 9 3/16 in. (15.8 x 23.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1926
Accession Number
26.49.118
Tags
Art Historical Context
This engraving captures a harrowing moment from Greek mythology, as Medea enacts her terrible revenge on Jason by slaying their two young sons. Created in 1563 by René Boyvin after a design by Leonard Thiry, the print illustrates the ancient tale with dramatic intensity. Medea appears at the center of the composition, surrounded by symbols of innocence and loyalty—putti and dogs—that heighten the emotional contrast between maternal love and vengeful fury. The French title inscribed below underscores the theme of retributive justice. Boyvin, a skilled engraver associated with the School of Fon...
About the Artist
René Boyvin|Leonard Thiry · 1525–1580
French, Angers ca. 1525–1598 or 1625/6 Angers