Revenge of Nauplius

Art Historical Context

This striking etching captures the dramatic mythological tale of Nauplius, the vengeful king who lured Greek ships to their doom after the unjust death of his son Palamedes. Created between 1540 and 1545, the print translates a design by Rosso Fiorentino into a dynamic composition filled with turbulent seas, struggling figures, and capsized vessels—elements highlighted by the tags of men and boats. Rosso, a leading Italian Mannerist painter, infused the scene with the elongated forms and emotional intensity characteristic of his style. Antonio Fantuzzi, working in France, translated Rosso’s vision into etching, a medium prized during the Renaissance for its ability to reproduce intricate designs with fluid lines and expressive shading. This allowed the dramatic narrative to reach wider audiences beyond the court of Fontainebleau, where Rosso served King Francis I. The work exemplifies the collaborative spirit of the School of Fontainebleau, blending Italian Mannerism with French printmaking traditions. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, this sheet (measuring roughly 12 5/8 by 17 3/16 inches) offers viewers a vivid glimpse into 16th-century interpretations of classical myth and the innovative techniques that helped spread Renaissance ideas across Europe.

About the Artist

Antonio Fantuzzi|Rosso Fiorentino · 1537–1545

**Antonio Fantuzzi** (active 1537–1550) was an Italian painter and printmaker born in Bologna who played a significant role in the First School of Fontainebleau during the French Renaissance. He worked in a Mannerist style, contributing to the lavish decorations of the Palace of Fontainebleau under royal patronage. Fantuzzi is recorded as a painter at Fontainebleau from 1537 onward, initially on ...