Title Page to Ovid's Metamorphosis, translated by G. Sandy

Art Historical Context

This engraving by Thomas Cecil serves as the title page for an English translation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses by George Sandys (listed here as G. Sandy). Created between 1551 and 1600, the print exemplifies the growing use of engraving to adorn and introduce classical texts during the late Renaissance and early modern period. As a precise and reproducible medium, engraving allowed intricate designs to accompany printed books, helping bring ancient stories of transformation to a wider audience beyond scholars who read Latin. Ovid’s Metamorphoses, with its tales of gods, mortals, and change, held particular appeal in Elizabethan and Jacobean England. Sandys’ translation made these myths accessible to English readers, and Cecil’s title page would have acted as both an elegant introduction and a visual invitation to the wonders inside. The sheet’s modest size—just 24 by 14.5 centimeters—reflects its original purpose as a functional yet decorative element within a published volume. Today, this work resides in the National Gallery of Art’s Rosenwald Collection, where it offers visitors a glimpse into how classical literature was packaged and celebrated through the art of printmaking in its own time.