Revenge of Nauplius

Art Historical Context

This striking etching captures the dramatic mythological tale of Nauplius, the vengeful king who lured Greek ships to their doom after the unjust death of his son Palamedes. Created between 1540 and 1545, the print translates a design by Rosso Fiorentino into a dynamic composition filled with turbulent seas, struggling figures, and capsized vessels—elements highlighted by the tags of men and boats. Rosso, a leading Italian Mannerist painter, infused the scene with the elongated forms and emotional intensity characteristic of his style. Antonio Fantuzzi, working in France, translated Rosso’s v...