Plate 19: Vulcan standing in a niche swinging a hammer, with an anvil, hammer, and tongs at his feet, from "Mythological Gods and Goddesses"

Art Historical Context

Step into the fiery forge of Roman mythology with *Plate 19: Vulcan standing in a niche swinging a hammer, with an anvil, hammer, and tongs at his feet*, from the series *Mythological Gods and Goddesses* (1526). Engraved by Giovanni Jacopo Caraglio after designs by the Mannerist master Rosso Fiorentino, this intimate print (8 1/4 × 4 3/16 in.) captures the god of fire and metalworking in dynamic motion. Vulcan, the Roman equivalent of Hephaestus, is poised powerfully within an architectural niche, his muscular form mid-swing as he hammers away, surrounded by his essential tools—an anvil, hammer, and tongs—evoking the raw intensity of the blacksmith's craft. Created during the High Renaissance in Italy, this engraving exemplifies the era's fascination with classical antiquity and the innovative use of printmaking to democratize art. Caraglio's precise line work translates Rosso's bold, elongated Mannerist style—marked by dramatic poses and emotional expressiveness—allowing these divine images to circulate widely among collectors and scholars. Engravings like this were revolutionary, bridging painting and mass reproduction. Vulcan's depiction here highlights his dual role as divine artisan and volcanic force, a nod to Renaissance humanism's celebration of craftsmanship. Part of a celebrated series, this plate from The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Elisha Whittelsey Collection invites us to marvel at how 16th-century artists forged mythology into enduring metal and ink.

About the Artist

Giovanni Jacopo Caraglio|Rosso Fiorentino · 1500–1565

Italian, Parma or Verona ca. 1500/1505–1565 Krakow (?)