A Warrior (ca. 1514–36, Met-Objekt 5806)
Original title: A Warrior
kurzbeschreibung
This engraving by Agostino Veneziano (Agostino dei Musi), titled Ein Krieger, was made sometime between about 1514 and 1536. It presents a naked, powerfully built warrior wearing a helmet and carrying a shield, posed in a lively stance against an open landscape.
Description
The muscular warrior fills the middle of the sheet. His right arm is thrust far forward, as if he were about to loose an arrow or hurl a weapon. A plumed helmet sits on his head, and an oval shield hangs from his left hand. A plain tunic stirs into motion and throws the musculature of his body into relief. Behind him the view closes with a lake, several ships and a hill. The layout reads clearly, with the figure commanding the whole surface. Light falls evenly throughout, and no shadows are discernible.
Context
Agostino Veneziano, an Italian engraver of the Renaissance, worked in the shop of Marcantonio Raimondi. The print dates from the years between 1514 and 1536, when Veneziano was active first in Rome and later in Bologna. The warrior motif draws on ancient models, which were often taken up again in the Renaissance. Nothing is known about the patron or the original purpose of the sheet.
Impact
The animated posture and precise linework give the warrior a monumental presence that recalls antique sculpture. The quiet landscape behind him stands in contrast to the figure's tense action, producing an image full of tension.
Technique
For this engraving the lines were cut into the printing plate with a burin. Fine hatching shapes the contours and surfaces of both figure and setting. The impression is monochrome in shades of grey, as is usual for this technique.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)