Salmacis and Hermaphrodite, from 'Game of Mythology' (Jeu de la Mythologie)
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 3 7/16 x 2 1/4 in. (8.8 x 5.7 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.811.16
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the intricate etching *Salmacis andaphrodite* from Stefano della Bella's *Game of Mythology* (u de la Mythologie created in 1644 the Italian Baroque artist captures a pivotal moment from Ovid's *Metamorphoses The nymph Salmacis, enamored with the youthful Hermaphroditus bathing in her pool, prays to the gods for eternal union. They merge into a single, androgynous being—the origin of the term "hermaphrodite." Della Bella, a master etcher known for his delicate line work and dynamic compositions, renders this mythological transformation with exquisite finesse on a diminutive sheet (3 7/16 x ...
About the Artist
Stefano della Bella · 1610–1664
Stefano della Bella (1610-1664) was one of the most prolific and versatile printmakers of the Italian Baroque period, leaving behind 1,052 prints and several thousand drawings that captured the vivid essence of 17th-century European life. Born in Florence on May 18, 1610, to a family of artists, he trained initially as a goldsmith before studying painting under Cesare Dandini and etching under Rem...