1585
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
The Abduction of the Sabine Women is a 1585 by Andrea Andreani, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see a crowded scene of Roman soldiers grabbing women while families scream and fight. This print was made to tell the old legend of how Rome got its first wives. The artist carved the image into wood, then printed it like a giant stamp—cheap enough that many people could own the story. If you like stories carved in wood, look up *chiaroscuro*.
The legend of the Sabine women relates to Rome’s early history when, to ensure the future population of the city, its founder Romulus hosted a festival for neighboring peoples, including the Sabines. At an appointed moment during the festivities, each young man of Rome kidnapped an unmarried Sabine woman to be his bride. Later, when the Sabines attacked Rome, it was the abducted Sabine women who courageously stopped the brutal battle and demanded peace between their fathers, brothers, and husbands. Andreani’s chiaroscuro woodcut, with its brown-red tone, subtle shadows, and warm highlights,…
Read the full account in the museum source.
Andrea Andreani (1540–1623) was an Italian engraver on wood, who was among the first printmakers in Italy to use chiaroscuro, which required multiple colours.
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