Artwork
The Dragon Devouring the Companions of Cadmus
The Dragon Devouring the Companions of Cadmus is an ink print by the Baroque artist Hendrick Goltzius. It dates from 1615 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left in plate: H. G. inv.; Rob. de Badous Exc. 2; lower center in plate: Abstrusum ut Tÿrij ... / ... sinuamine perdit. / G. Rÿckius; by later hand in graphite, lower left of mount: Ovid Met. III 2 (1005) / B. III p. 108/63 Ovid Met III, 2, 2; The dragon devouring the companions of Cadmus; by later hand, in graphite, lower right of mount: dwg in Hamburg cf Reznicek 102, pl. 122 (dated 1590)
About this work
Overview
The Dragon Devouring the Companions of Cadmus is an engraving on laid paper created by Hendrick Goltzius around 1615. It exemplifies the artist's technical skill and compositional complexity.
Subject & Meaning
The engraving depicts a scene from mythology where a dragon attacks Cadmus's followers. A man fights the dragon with a sword and shield, set against a backdrop of trees and rocks, evoking a wild environment.
Technique & Style
Goltzius employed intricate cross-hatching to achieve texture and depth, characteristic of Northern Mannerism. The contrast between light and dark enhances the scene's drama and tension, while the engraving technique conveys a sense of movement and energy.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Hendrick Goltzius (German: , Dutch: ; né Goltz; January or February 1558 – 1 January 1617) was a German-born Dutch printmaker, draftsman, and painter.
