Artwork
Birth of Adonis
Birth of Adonis is a print by the Renaissance artist Benedetto Montagna. It dates from 1518 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
The print 'Birth of Adonis' by Benedetto Montagna depicts the infant Adonis emerging from a tree trunk.
Subject & Meaning
The scene illustrates a myth from Ovid's Metamorphoses, where Adonis is born from his mother Myrrah, who was transformed into a tree after conceiving incestuously. The image conveys the unusual circumstances of Adonis' birth, as Myrrah was turned into a tree to escape both life and death.
Technique & Style
The artist skillfully renders the tree trunk, with its bark curling back like a curtain, to convey the idea that Adonis is born from the wood. The infant's outstretched arms and the sinuous trunk create a sense of movement and transformation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Benedetto Montagna (c. 1480–1555/58) was an Italian engraver and painter. Montagna was born in Vicenza, the son of the leading painter of the city, Bartolomeo Montagna, with whom he trained and perhaps continued to…
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Birth of Adonis