Artwork
Birth of Adonis
Birth of Adonis is a print by the Renaissance artist Benedetto Montagna. It dates from 1518 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1954.566
- Credit line
- John L. Severance Fund
About this work
Overview
The print 'Birth of Adonis' by Benedetto Montagna depicts the infant Adonis emerging from a tree trunk.
Subject & Meaning
The scene illustrates a myth from Ovid's Metamorphoses, where Adonis is born from his mother Myrrah, who was transformed into a tree after conceiving incestuously. The image conveys the unusual circumstances of Adonis' birth, as Myrrah was turned into a tree to escape both life and death.
Technique & Style
The artist skillfully renders the tree trunk, with its bark curling back like a curtain, to convey the idea that Adonis is born from the wood. The infant's outstretched arms and the sinuous trunk create a sense of movement and transformation.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Benedetto Montagna (c. 1480–1555/58) was an Italian engraver and painter. Montagna was born in Vicenza, the son of the leading painter of the city, Bartolomeo Montagna, with whom he trained and perhaps continued to…
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Rest on the Flight into Egypt- Birth of Adonis