Jupiter and Mercury in the House of Philemon and Baucis
Medium
Engraving in black on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
21.3 × 22 cm (8 7/16 × 8 11/16 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
41162
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Adam Elsheimer’s small-scale paintings of mysterious interiors and fantastical landscapes influenced artists throughout Europe, particularly after Hendrik Goudt translated them into prints. Although Goudt engraved only eight of Elsheimer’s images, they inspired a generation of printmakers in pursuit of magical light and shadow, most notably Rembrandt. This work depicts a moral tale by Ovid in which the gods Jupiter and Mercury disguise themselves as peasants before visiting a town in Phrygia an...