Vulcan and Cyclops Forging Cupid's Arrows
1544
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1544
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Vulcan and Cyclops Forging Cupid's Arrows is a 1544 ink by Master FG, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows a busy workshop scene. Muscular men are hammering, bending metal, and wielding tools. One guy is lifting a heavy bar, another is holding a glowing hot object with tongs, and a small figure in the corner watches. The room looks old, with rough stone walls and a barrel in the background. Notice how the artist used tiny parallel lines to create shadows and texture—this is called cross-hatching. It makes the scene look three-dimensional even though it’s just ink on paper. Want to see more of this style? Look up engraving.
