Neptune on a Sea Monster

About this work

This print shows a muscular man with curly hair standing on a twisted sea creature. The man holds a trident in one hand and grabs the monster’s head with the other. The creature’s body is tangled, its scales and fins detailed in sharp lines. Dark, crisscrossed shading fills the background, making the figures stand out. The artist used fine lines and shading to create depth, a trick called cross-hatching. This print is from a time when artists studied how light and shadow worked in real life. Next, look up engraving to see how this technique works.