The Child Presented to Priapus
ca. 1514–36
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
10 7/16 x 6 3/4 in. (26.5 x 17.1 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1949
Accession Number
49.97.117
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
This engraving, "The Child Presented to Priapus," was created by Agostino Veneziano, also known as Agostino dei Musi, between roughly 1514 and 1536. As a print measuring just over 10 by 6 inches, it reflects the refined technique of early 16th-century Italian engraving, where artists incised fine lines into metal plates to produce multiple impressions rich in detail and tonal contrast. During the Renaissance, engravings played a vital role in sharing classical subjects and artistic innovations across Europe. Veneziano’s work captures the period’s renewed interest in ancient mythology, allowin...