Venus removing a thorn from her left foot while seated on a cloth beside trees and foliage, a hare eating grass before her (ca. 1515–27)
Original title: Venus removing a thorn from her left foot while seated on a cloth beside trees and foliage, a hare eating grass before her
kurzbeschreibung
Created around 1515–27, this engraving by Marco Dente depicts a seated Venus pulling a thorn from her left foot. The goddess appears in an idyllic landscape, rendered in the medium of engraving.
Description
Venus sits on a cloth. In her right hand she holds a thorn brush, while her left hand touches her left foot to remove the thorn. Before her on the ground, a hare sits eating grass. Trees, palms, and a landscape with a river and tower can be seen in the distance.
Context
Marco Dente, an Italian engraver of the Renaissance, made this print in the first half of the 16th century, probably in Rome. It belongs to reproductive printmaking, which circulated ancient and contemporary artworks. The motif of Venus in a landscape is a classical theme that was popular in the Renaissance.
Impact
The engraving radiates a calm, idyllic mood that arises from the combination of the mythological figure and the natural setting. The delicate linework and the detailed rendering of textiles and vegetation produce a precise yet graceful effect.
Technique
In engraving, the design is incised into a copper plate and then printed on paper. The fine lines and hatching allow a detailed reproduction of light and shadow, as is typical of Renaissance printmaking.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)