Aeneas vlucht met zijn familie uit Troje

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso opzetvel, gestempeld: Lugt 240

Art Historical Context

**Aeneas Flees His Family from Troy***Agostino Carr, 1595, Engraving, 383 × 522 mm* This dramatic engraving by Agostino Carracci captures pivotal moment from Virgil's *Aeneid*: the Trojan hero Aeneas escaping the burning city of Troy with his elderly father Anchises on his shoulders, his young son Ascanius by his side, and his wife Creusa trailing behind. Created in 1595, it reflects the late Renaissance fervor in Bologna, where Agostino—part of the influential Carracci family alongside brothers Annibale and Ludov—bridged classical antiquity with emerging naturalism. The Carracci's innovative approach revitalized Italian art, emphasizing expressive figures and dynamic composition over rigid Mannerism. As an engraving, this large-scale print (nearly 38 × 52 cm) showcases Agostino's mastery of the burin, a technique that allowed for intricate line work, rich tonal contrasts, and widespread dissemination of grand narratives. Prints like this made epic stories accessible beyond elite patrons, fueling the era's cultural revival of Greco-Roman myths that underpinned Renaissance humanism and the founding legend of Rome. A charming detail on the verso: a collector's mark stamped with Lugt 240, signaling its prized history among connoisseurs. This provenance underscores the artwork's enduring allure, inviting us to ponder Aeneas's timeless themes of duty, survival, and destiny amid chaos.

About the Artist

Agostino Carracci · 1557–1602

Agostino left his profession as a tailor to become an artist. His earliest works were engravings, which was an extremely profitable practice and he was famed for having attained new heights of perfection. He was also a skilled painter and collaborated with his famous relations on various commisions. Comment on works: Religious; Portraits.