River gods reclining before a seascape
1651–82
Medium
Engraving and etching
Dimensions
Sheet (trimmed): 5 5/8 × 9 1/4 in. (14.3 × 23.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Olga Sichel and Max Philippson, 1962
Accession Number
62.557.187
Tags
Art Historical Context
This engraving and etching by François Bourlier, created between 1651 and 1682, presents a serene mythological scene of river gods reclining before a sweeping seascape. The composition features both male and femaleudes in relaxed poses, evoking classical deities associated with waterways and nature. Such imagery reflects the 17th-century fascination with ancient mythology, where artists reimagined river gods as symbols of abundance and the natural world’s rhythms. Bourlier employed the combined techniques of engraving and etching, methods that allowed for precise lines alongside softer tonal ...