Triton and Siren in Tendrils

Art Historical Context

In the early 16th century, artist Lucas van Leyden emerged as a prodigy of the Northern Renaissance, renowned for his masterful engravings that rivaled the works of Albrecht Dürer Created around 1510, *Triton and Siren in Tend* exemplifies his skill in capturing intricate mythological scenes on a small scale. This engraving, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of's Drawings and Prints departmentgift of Harry G. Friedman, 2), draws from classical lore, depicting the sea god Triton—half-man, half-fish—and a seductive siren entwined in flowing tendrils, evoking the perilous allure of the ocean dept...

About the Artist

Lucas van Leyden · 1484–1533

Lucas van Leyden (1494–1533) was a Dutch painter and printmaker who stands among the greatest engravers of the Northern Renaissance. Born in Leiden as either Lucas Hugensz or Lucas Jacobsz, he lived and worked primarily in his native city, achieving international renown that rivaled the German master Albrecht Dürer. Lucas van Leyden revolutionized Netherlandish printmaking and was among the first...