Wine, from The Powers that Rule the World

Art Historical Context

Visitors to the Art Institute of's Prints and Drawings department delight in *Wine, from The Powers that Rule the World (1595/96), a engraving by Dutch artist Zacharias Dolendo. Created on luxurious ivory laid paper— prized for its smooth texture and subtle laid lines that enhance fine detail—this print measures a generous plate size of 20.4 × 28.7 cm. Dolendo, a prominent engraver trained under Hendrick Goltzius, the allegorical essence of wine as one of humanity's commanding forces in this thematic series. Engraving, Dolendo's specialty, involved incising intricate lines into a copper plate with a burin, inking it, and pressing it onto paper to produce rich, tonal effects. This technique allowed for precise, reproducible art that reached collectors across Europe during the late Renaissance. Produced amid the Dutch Revolt and emerging Golden Age, the work reflects Mannerist influences, with dramatic figures and symbolic depth exploring worldly powers like indulgence and revelry. *Wine* invites reflection on cultural vices and virtues, personifying intoxication's sway over society—a timely motif in an era of expanding trade and bacchanalian feasts. Its survival as a pristine example underscores Dolendo's technical virtuosity and the era's fascination with emblematic prints.