Saturnus

About this artwork

collector's mark: Lugt 240

Art Historical Context

Behold *Saturnus*, a striking chiaroscuro woodcut from 1604, created by the masterful Italian printmakers Niccolò Vicentino and Ugo da Carpi. Measuring 319 mm high by 437 mm wide, this print bears the collector's mark Lugt 240, a testament to its prized status among connoisseurs. The subject, the formidable Roman god Saturn (Saturnus), evokes the mythological figure associated with time, agriculture, and renewal—often depicted in art as a complex symbol of both creation and destruction. Chiaroscuro woodcuts, pioneered by Ugo da Carpi in the early 16th century, represent a revolutionary techni...