Melpomene, from "Twelve Muses and Goddesses"
ca. 1540–45
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet (trimmed): 7 15/16 × 5 7/8 in. (20.2 × 15 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
49.97.562
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *Melpomene, from "Twelve Muses andes"*, an exquisite etching by Francesco Primatic, with engraving by Léon Davent, around 1540–45. Melpomene, the ancient Greek Muse of tragedy, elegantly rendered here as a poised female figure, embodying the dramatic pathos of theatrical performance. This print is part of a celebrated series that pairs the Nine Muses with three goddesses, blending classical mythology with Renaissance humanism to celebrate the arts and divine inspiration. Primaticcio, a leading Italian Mannerist artist at the French royal court of Fontainebleau under King Francis I, des...
About the Artist
Francesco Primaticcio|Léon Davent · 1504–1570
Primaticcio was the most influential Italian artist in France in the 16th century. Together with Rosso Fiorentino they created a style of mixing stucco decoration with mannerist paintings that became known as the Fontainebleau school. Italian painter, architect and sculptor. Comment on works: Religious; Allegory; History.