Battle of the Sea Gods (left half), 1470s
Engraving (and drypoint?)expand_more
Bequest of Herschel V. Jonesexpand_more P.68.211
Not on Viewexpand_more
According to the sign held by the crone at the upper left, envy has led to discord among the sea gods. When satyrs on seahorses square off, it's fish versus baton, while the nymph-bearing sea-centaurs adopt bonier weapons. This print was the largest engraving ever produced at the time it was made-so large that the image had to be engraved on two separate plates. It so perfectly embodied Renaissance understanding of antiquity that the sculptures based on its design were thought to be genuinely ancient.
Details
- Title
- Battle of the Sea Gods (left half)
- Artist Life
- (Padua), 1430/31–1506
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.68.211
- Provenance
- Albert Roullier, 1917
- Catalogue Raisonne
- H.5 (left half); H.6 ii/ii (right half); B.17 and 18; "Andrea Mantegna" 1992 exh., cat. no. 79
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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