Jean Baptiste Patas

Jean Baptiste Patas made prints that look like they walked off a stage set. He loved drama—especially the kind where gods turn into plants or lovers turn into flowers—so he specialized in scenes from myths, all draped in silk and candlelight. A friend in the print room will point you to his Death of Adonis: Venus weeps while the hound that mauled her lover howls in grief, every line sharp enough to feel the chill. If you like the theater of history painting but want it in your pocket, tap this print first.