Juno sending famine against Crasiton, set within an elaborate frame, from "Loves, Rages and Jealousies of Juno"

Art Historical Context

In the mid-16th century, engraver Giulio Bonasone dramatic moments from classical mythology in his series *Loves, Rages, and Jealousies of*. This intimate engraving, *Juno Sending Famine Against Cras, Set Within an Elaborate Frame* (c. 1531–76), depicts the wrathful queen of the gods unleashing famine on her mortal foe. Juno, often portrayed with her sacred peacocks, dominates the composition amid swirling figures, including female nudes that evoke the sensual vitality of Renaissance humanism. The elaborate frame adds a decorative flourish, transforming the print into a jewel-like object for collectors. Bonasone, a masterful Bolognese printmaker influenced by Mannerism, excelled in engraving—a precise intaglio technique where intricate lines are incised into copper plates to produce rich tonal contrasts and fine details. At just 5¼ × 3⅞ inches, this work exemplifies how prints democratized art, allowing widespread dissemination of mythological narratives drawn from Ovid's *Metamorphoses* without the expense of paintings. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Prints collection, this piece highlights the cultural obsession with Juno's turbulent passions during the Renaissance, blending antique lore with emerging artistic virtuosity. Visitors will appreciate its blend of fury, elegance, and technical brilliance—a window into 16th-century Italy's love affair with the divine and the dramatic.

About the Artist

Giulio Bonasone · 1500–1600

Comment on works: History; Mythology