Seven Cupids with Two Rams in a Landscape
1475/85
Medium
Engraving on paper
Dimensions
22.7 × 18.9 cm (8 15/16 × 7 1/2 in.)
Classification
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
4199
Art Historical Context
In the Prints and Drawings department of the Institute of Chicago, Giovanni da Brescia's *Seven Cupids with Two in a Landscape* (. 1475–85) captivates with its lively Renaissance charm. This engraving on paper, measuring 227 × 18.9 cm, dates to the late 15 century, a time when Italian artists like da Brescia—active in northern Italy—were pioneering printmaking as a democratic art form. Unlike paintings reserved for elite patrons, engravings could be inexpensively reproduced and shared widely, spreading classical motifs across Europe. The composition bursts with playful energy: seven mischievo...