Apollo sitting on Parnassus surrounded by the muses and famous poets (ca. 1517–20, Met-Objekt 5854)
Original title: Apollo sitting on Parnassus surrounded by the muses and famous poets
kurzbeschreibung
On Mount Parnassus, Apollo gathers a company of nine Muses and celebrated poets around him. Marcantonio Raimondi engraved this scene around 1517–20, and the impression described here is the second of five states; the print belongs to the High Renaissance.
Description
Figures recline in a soft, idyllic landscape, Apollo at the midpoint, Muses and poets around him dressed in antique style. Trees fill the space behind them, and two angels with flowers approach. The layout holds a clear symmetry about the central figure; even light leaves few hard contrasts, and graded greys support the quiet mood.
Context
Raimondi, an Italian engraver of the Renaissance, is best known for his translations of works by Raphael. This engraving follows a Raphael design for the Stanza della Segnatura in the Vatican. The plate passed through several states, the second dated around 1517–20.
Impact
From the balance of the arrangement and the calm of the figures comes a harmonious, elevated atmosphere. Antique figures and a peaceful landscape form a classical, timeless world that draws the viewer into the circle of Muses and poets.
Technique
For an engraving, lines are cut into the plate and then transferred to paper with printing ink. Raimondi used fine strokes and hatching to bring out detail and shading, an approach typical of his precise, richly detailed hand.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)