Saturn
1569
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1569
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This etching shows Saturn, the Roman god of time, eating his child. His wild eyes bulge. Blood drips down a small body he clutches. The scene looks brutal and messy. De Bruyn made it in 1569. Drypoint was his trick. He scratched lines directly into a metal plate with a needle, then inked it. The needle leaves rough edges that catch light, making shadows look scratchy and raw. Try another drypoint by De Bruyn.
