Juno, Mars and Cupid, set within an elaborate frame, from "Loves, Rages and Jealousies of Juno"

Art Historical Context

In the intricate engraving *Juno, Mars and Cupid, set within an frame*, from the series *Loves Rages and Jealous of Juno*, Italian artist Giulio Bonasone captures a dramatic moment from classical mythology. Created between 1531 and 1576, this small yet richly detailed print (5 1/4 x 4 in.) depicts the queen of the gods, Juno, alongside the war god Mars and the mischievous Cupid, surrounded by animals and framed in ornate architectural motifs. Bonasone, a masterful Bolognese engraver, drew inspiration from Renaissance ideals, reproducing complex narratives in miniature scale to evoke the passions and conflicts of ancient tales. Engravings like this were revolutionary in the 16th century, allowing affordable dissemination of high-art imagery beyond elite patrons. Bonasone's technique—incising fine lines into a copper plate for inked impressions—enabled extraordinary precision, rendering textures of feathers, drapery, and expressive faces within a compact format. Part of a thematic series exploring Juno's jealous rages (often tied to her husband Jupiter's infidelities), it reflects the era's fascination with Greco-Roman myths, popularized by artists like Raphael and Michelangelo, whom Bonasone often emulated. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this piece from The Elisha Whittelsey Collection highlights printmaking's role in cultural education, bringing divine drama into collectors' hands and fueling the Renaissance revival of antiquity. A testament to Bonasone's skill, it invites viewers to ponder eternal themes of love, jealousy, and power.

About the Artist

Giulio Bonasone · 1500–1600

Comment on works: History; Mythology