1525
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Medea Returning the Penates to Jason is a 1525 ink by Georg Pencz, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This etching shows a woman kneeling in a dark, draped space. She holds a small child in one arm while reaching for a box with her other hand. Above her, another child clings to her back, and a snake coils around her arm. The scene feels tense, with swirling patterns framing the figures like a storm. The title hints this is a story about betrayal—Medea, a mythic figure, is returning something valuable to her unfaithful husband. The artist used fine lines to build up shadows and textures, making the scene feel dramatic. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like Pencz carved these detailed images.
Georg Pencz (c. 1500 – 11 October 1550) was a German engraver, painter and printmaker. Pencz was probably born in Westheim near Bad Windsheim/Franconia. He travelled to Nuremberg in 1523 and joined Albrecht Dürer’s…
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
