Artwork

Venus se plaint a Jupiter de la tempete que Junon a excitee contre Enee

Venus se plaint a Jupiter de la tempete que Junon a excitee contre Enee is an ink print by the Baroque artist Henri Simon Thomassin. It dates from 1714 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Henri Simon Thomassin’s 1714 engraving, titled Venus se plaint à Jupiter de la tempête que Junon a excitée contre Énée, presents a compact mythological tableau. Executed in black line on paper, the print captures a moment of divine dispute, with the figures arranged in a tight, dynamic composition that conveys both tension and movement.

Subject & Meaning

The scene depicts Venus addressing Jupiter, urging him to intervene in a tempest that Juno has unleashed against the Trojan hero Aeneas. The central bearded figure, Jupiter, holds a spear and appears stern, while the winged Venus on the left gestures upward, and a distressed woman, identified as Juno, clutches the scene’s edge, embodying the conflict among the gods over Aeneas’s fate.

Technique & Style

Thomassin employs dense cross‑hatching and swirling lines to render the storm’s turbulence and the figures’ emotional states. The engraving’s chiaroscuro effect is achieved through varying line density, giving depth to the foreground figures and a turbulent backdrop that emphasizes the narrative’s dramatic intensity.

History & Provenance

Created in early 18th‑century France, the print reflects the period’s fascination with classical mythology and the use of printmaking to disseminate such themes. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work is catalogued among Thomassin’s known outputs, illustrating his skill in translating mythic subjects into the graphic medium.