The Dragon Devouring the Companions of Cadmus

Art Historical Context

This engraving captures a dramatic moment from classical mythology, showing a fearsome dragon attacking the companions of Cadmus as they approach a sacred spring. Created around 1615 by the workshop of Hendrick Goltzius after his design, the print translates the artist’s dynamic composition into fine lines on laid paper, allowing the story to reach a wider audience beyond the original drawing or painting. Goltzius, a leading Dutch printmaker of the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods, was celebrated for his technical mastery and expressive figures. Workshop productions like this one extended his influence, using the reproductive power of engraving to circulate mythological narratives drawn from Ovid’s *Metamorphoses*. The medium’s precision highlights swirling forms and tension, inviting viewers to appreciate both the story’s drama and the craftsmanship involved. Now part of the National Gallery of Art’s collection through the generosity of the Leo Steinberg estate, the print exemplifies how 17th-century workshops preserved and popularized important artistic designs for generations of collectors and scholars.