Aeneas vlucht met zijn familie uit Troje

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

This striking chiaroscuro woodcut, created by the Italian printmaker Ugo da Carpi in 1518, captures a dramatic moment from classical mythology. The scene depicts Aeneas fleeing the burning city of Troy with his elderly father Anchises on his shoulders, his young son Ascanius at his side, and his wife Creusa following behind—an episode drawn from Virgil’s *Aeneid*. Measuring over half a meter tall, the print’s large scale gives the heroic narrative an almost monumental presence despite its graphic medium. Ugo da Carpi was a pioneer of the chiaroscuro woodcut technique in Italy, a method that employs multiple carved blocks printed in different tones to simulate the effects of light and shadow. Here, the layered tones heighten the sense of urgency and movement, transforming a familiar story into a vivid study of courage and destiny. The technique itself reflects the Renaissance fascination with classical antiquity and the desire to emulate the tonal richness of drawings in reproducible form. Today the print survives with a collector’s stamp (Lugt 2228) on its reverse, a quiet reminder of its journey through centuries of appreciation. Its combination of literary subject, innovative printmaking, and dramatic composition makes it a compelling example of how Renaissance artists used new graphic technologies to bring ancient tales vividly to life.

About the Artist

Ugo da Carpi · 1480–1535

Comment on works: Painter; Woodcutter