Who painted Il Stregozzo?

Il Stregozzo was painted by Agostino dei Musi in 1500.

Where can I see Il Stregozzo?

Il Stregozzo is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Il Stregozzo?

Il Stregozzo is associated with Renaissance.

Artwork

Il Stregozzo

Agostino dei Musi , 1500

Il Stregozzo is a print by the Renaissance artist Agostino dei Musi. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Il Stregzo is an engraved print that presents a chaotic, allegorical tableau.

About this work

Overview

Il Stregzo is an engraved print that presents a chaotic, allegorical tableau. A group of four heavily muscled men haul a woman across the skeletal frame of a gigantic, scaled beast, while twisted vines, a lion’s head and a scorpion’s tail coil around the figures. The composition is rendered with stark contrasts of light and shadow, emphasizing the tension and movement of the scene.

Subject & Meaning

The image functions as an allegory rather than a literal narrative. A youthful male figure appears to guide a sorceress in a victorious moment over the remains of a colossal creature, suggesting triumph of knowledge or magic over primal forces. The title, Il Stregozzo, hints at a mysterious or magical quality, leaving the precise symbolic interpretation open to the viewer.

Technique & Style

Executed as an engraving, the work relies on fine incised lines to model the muscular bodies and the intricate details of the surrounding foliage and animal motifs. Strong chiaroscuro effects are achieved through deep hatching, creating pronounced shadows that give the figures a three‑dimensional, dramatic presence.

History & Provenance

The composition is derived from a design traditionally linked to the Renaissance master Raphael, indicating that the print is part of a broader tradition of reproducing his drawings. The attribution to Raphael’s design situates the work within the practice of disseminating high‑style designs through printmaking in the early modern period.

Artist & collection

Artist

Agostino dei Musi

Agostino Veneziano ("Venetian Agostino"), whose real name was Agostino de' Musi (c. 1490 – c. 1540), was an important and prolific Italian engraver of the Renaissance.