Plate 12: Atalanta led by Diana (Atalata condoti da Diana), accompanied by warriors bearing shields and spears, from the series 'The magnificent pageant on the river Arno in Florence for the marriage of the Grand Duke' (Le Magnifique carousel fait sur le fleuve de l'Arne a Florence, pour le mariage du Grand Duc), for the wedding celebration of Cosimo de' Medici in Florence, 1608

Art Historical Context

This etching, Plate 12 from the series *Le Magnifique carousel fait sur le fleuve de lne à Florence, pour le mariage du Grand Duc captures a vibrant moment from the 1608 wedding of Cosimo II de Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Maria Magdalena of Austria. Held on the River Arno in Florence, the grand pageant featured elaborate floats and performances evoking classical myths. Here, the huntress Atalanta is led by the goddess Diana, surrounded by warriors wielding shields and spears, blending mythological splendor with martial pomp amid ships on the water—a nod to Renaissance Italy's love for spectacle and antiquity. Created in 1664 by a collaborative team including designer Giulio Parigi, etchers Remigio Cantagallina and Jean Sauvé, and anonymous contributors, this small-scale print (trimmed to 3¾ × 5⅛ in.) exemplifies etching's precision for intricate details like flowing drapery and dynamic figures. As part of the Met's Drawings and Prints collection (Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011), it reflects Baroque-era printmaking's role in disseminating aristocratic festivities, preserving the Medici court's opulent cultural legacy for wider audiences. These works highlight Florence's tradition of transforming public riversides into theaters of power and myth, where gods and soldiers paraded to celebrate dynastic unions.

About the Artist

Giulio Parigi|Anonymous|Remigio Cantagallina|Jean Sauvé · 1571–1635

Parigi studied in Florence with his great-uncle Bartolommeo Ammannati, his father Alfonso di Santi Parigi and the Grand-Ducal architect Bernardo Buontalenti, whom he succeeded in 1608. Ca. 1598 to ca. 1629, Parigi operated an academy in Florence which taught geometry, perspective, draughtsmanship, mechanics and civil and military architecture. For the first half of the 16th century, Parigi and his...