Theseus and the Minotaur (Minotaurum Theseus vincit), from The Metamorphoses of Ovid (Metamorphosean Sive Transformationum), plate 74

Art Historical Context

This etching captures the dramatic climax of the ancient Greek myth in which the hero Theseus slays the Minotaur, a monstrous half-man, half-bull creature imprisoned in the labyrinth of Crete. Created as plate 74 in a series illustrating Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the work brings to life one of the Roman poet’s most vivid tales of transformation, heroism, and divine intervention. The collaboration between Antonio Tempesta, a prolific Italian printmaker, and publisher Willem Jansz. reflects the growing demand in the early seventeenth century for accessible images of classical stories. Executed in etching, the medium allowed for fine, expressive lines that convey both the tension of combat and the intricate details of the figures. Published after 1606, the print belongs to a period when reproductive engravings and etchings played a vital role in spreading Renaissance and Baroque interpretations of antiquity across Europe. Its modest size made it suitable for private collectors and albums, helping to popularize mythological subjects beyond elite circles. Today, this sheet in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection offers visitors a window into how seventeenth-century audiences encountered and reimagined the ancient world through the art of printmaking.

About the Artist

Willem Jansz.|Antonio Tempesta (Dutch) · 1571 –1638

Dutch, Alkmaar 1571–1638 Amsterdam