Dido holding a dagger in her right hand, left arm outstretched (ca. 1510)
Original title: Dido holding a dagger in her right hand, left arm outstretched
kurzbeschreibung
Around 1510, Marcantonio Raimondi made this engraving of Dido, queen of Carthage. The mythological figure appears in a landscape, holding a dagger in her right hand and with her left arm stretched out.
Description
Between two trees stands the woman, one of which bears a wreath of leaves. Her garment falls plainly, her right hand grips a dagger, and her left arm is extended. In the foreground a fire burns; behind it, buildings and landscape details come into view. On the ground beside a tree lies a shield with inscriptions. The image remains black and white, with densely set, very precise lines.
Context
Raimondi, an Italian engraver of the Renaissance, became known above all for reproductive prints after designs by artists such as Raphael. This engraving was made around 1510 in Rome, at a time when his technical assurance and his role in spreading pictorial inventions were valued. With Dido, the Carthaginian queen, he took up a popular theme of ancient mythology that the Renaissance often treated in art.
Impact
The precise, detailed engraving conveys a calm yet tense mood that arises from the contrasts of light and dark. The layout, with the figure in the middle, the trees on either side and the fire in the foreground, draws the eye to the action and gives the sheet narrative depth.
Technique
The print was produced as an engraving: the design is incised into a copper plate and then printed on paper. Raimondi worked with thin, precisely guided lines to bring out details such as the folds of the garment and the leaves of the trees, which is characteristic of his method.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)