Birth of Memnon
1535
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1535
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
This print shows a busy scene with half-naked figures in a garden. A woman in the center holds a baby while a child reaches for her. To the right, another woman lounges on a couch, and a man leans over her. In the background, cherubs fly near a temple. The whole scene is etched in black and white, with dark shadows and light highlights. The artist used deep contrasts between light and dark to make the figures pop. This trick was common in Renaissance prints. Look up chiaroscuro to learn more about this technique.
