Jupiter, seated above two eagles and embracing Cupid, a round composition from a series of mythological scenes after Polidoro da Caravaggio
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 7 3/4 x 5 7/8 in. (19.7 x 15 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.125.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
In this captivating engraving from around 1590, Cherubino Alberti masterfully reproduces a mythological scene originally designed by Polidoro da Carav, a prominent Mannerist artist influenced by Raphael. Titled *Jupiter, Seated Two Eagles and Embracingid*, the circular composition—known as a tondo—icts the king of the gods enthroned atop his sacred eagles, tenderly holding the winged god of love. This intimate portrayal blends divine authority with paternal affection, drawing from classical Roman mythology where Jupiter symbolizes power and eagles represent his dominion over the skies. Albert...
About the Artist
Cherubino Alberti (Zaccaria Mattia)|Polidoro da Caravaggio · 1553–1615
Cherubino Alberti (1553–1615), also known by his birth name Zaccaria Mattia, was an Italian engraver and painter active in Rome during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. Born in Borgo San Sepolcro in Tuscany, he came from an artistically inclined family and received training that equipped him for work in both painting and the reproductive graphic arts. It was as a printmaker, however,...