Pygmalion
Medium
etching and engraving
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1949.5.512
Art Historical Context
Step into the enchanting world of 18th-century French printmaking with *Pygmalion* (1778), an exquisite etching and engraving by Noël Le Mire after a design by Jean-Michel Moreau. This print captures the timeless myth of Pygmalion, the sculptor who fell in love with his own ivory statue of Galatea, brought to life by Venus—a tale of creation, desire, and divine intervention that captivated Enlightenment audiences. Moreau, a leading illustrator of his time, infused the scene with the graceful elegance of the Rococo style transitioning toward Neoclassicism, featuring fluid lines and idealized f...