Artwork
The Banquet of Acheloüs
The Banquet of Acheloüs is an ink drawing by the Renaissance artist Luca Penni. It dates from 1545 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The Banquet of Acheloüs is a drawing executed by the French-Italian artist Luca Penni around 1545. Rendered on laid paper that has been lightly washed brown, the work combines pen work in black ink with washes of brown and blue‑gray, and is finished with touches of white gouache to highlight details.
Technique & Style
Penni’s approach merges precise linear drawing with subtle watercolor washes, creating a nuanced tonal range. The use of white gouache serves to accentuate focal points, while the layered washes of brown and blue‑gray provide depth and atmospheric effect, characteristic of mid‑sixteenth‑century Northern Renaissance drawing practices.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1545, The Banquet of Acheloüs reflects Penni’s activity during his period of work in France after his training in Italy. The drawing’s provenance traces back to private collections before entering a museum context, though specific ownership records remain limited.
Artist & collection
Mankind Feasting and Making Love, Awaiting the Last Judgement (‘the coming of the son of man’) (Matthew 24:37–42)
The Daughters of the Po with River Gods
Bacchanal
Echo and Narcissus
Sacrifice Scene (Gaius Mucius Scaevola?)
Apollo and the Muses on Mount Parnassus
The Death of Procris
Landscape with a Satyr Family and Classical Sculpture
Landscape with Shepherds
The Baptism of Christ
Banquet of the Gods at the Wedding of Peleus and Thetis
Madonna and Child with Saints John and Luke