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Mayus (May)

Ludovico Mattioli

1601

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque

Dominant colour

Mayus (May) is a 1601 ink by Ludovico Mattioli, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Ludovico Mattioli
When & what style?: 1601 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This black-and-white scene shows a quiet riverbank in May. Two people row a small boat near the shore, while others stand or sit by the water. Trees with rounded leaves fill the right side, and hills rise in the background under a soft sky. The word "MAYUS" at the bottom hints this is a seasonal scene. The artist used fine lines to capture light and shadows, making the trees and clouds look almost three-dimensional. Check out how this was made with etching.