René, Boyvin, Medea Watching a Chariot Drawn by Dragons, after Leonard Thiry, 1563, engraving on cream antique laid paper, 7 1/2 in. x 9 1/16 in. (19 cm x 23 cm), Medea Watching Her Chariot conveys one episode from a series of prints relating the tragic story of Jason, who would later marry and betray the sorceress Medea.In the center narrative panel, Medea kneels naked amid the turbulent forces of nature, calling upon the cosmic powers that fuel her dragon chariot. It bears her through the night sky, seen in two details at top left and right. An overwhelming Mannerist frame surrounds the scene with a profusion of figures, fruits, episodes of thwarted love, curling cut leather, and ominous masks. At the top, disturbing figures of bearded elders hunched over books counter a satyr family lounging at bottom, setting up a discordant and unsettling mood. A leering mask with a toothy grimace dominates the bottom of the frame. These framing elements press in on the narrative field, creating a claustrophobic feeling that hints at the lust, betrayal, foul magic, and rage that characterizes the dark beauty of the myth.
Keywords:
René, Boyvin, Medea Watching, Chariot Drawn, Dragons, Leonard Thiry, 1563, engraving, cream antique laid paper, 7 1/2 . x 9 1/16, 19 cm x 23 cm, Medea Watching, Chariot conveys, episode, series, prints relating, tragic story, Jason, later marry, betray, sorceress Medea., center narrative panel, Medea kneels naked, turbulent forces, nature, calling upon, cosmic powers, fuel, dragon chariot., bears, night sky, two details, top left, right., overwhelming Mannerist frame surrounds, scene, profusion, figures, fruits, episodes, thwarted love, curling cut leather, ominous masks., top, disturbing figures, bearded elders hunched, books counter, satyr family lounging, bottom, setting up, discordant, unsettling mood., leering mask, toothy grimace dominates, bottom, frame., framing elements press, narrative field, creating, claustrophobic feeling, hints, lust, betrayal, foul magic, rage, characterizes, dark beauty, myth
Image ID:
The watermark in the image will not appear on the final download.