Artwork
Two Fauns Carrying a Child
Two Fauns Carrying a Child is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Marcantonio Raimondi. It dates from 1514 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Marcantonio Raimondi’s print *Two Fauns Carrying a Child* dates to roughly 1514. Executed as an engraving on laid paper, the work presents a monochrome composition in which two mythological figures transport a small, nude child. The image is rendered in fine line work typical of early 16th‑century reproductive prints.
Subject & Meaning
The scene features two fauns—half‑human, half‑goat beings—each crowned with foliage. One faun bears a basket, while the other supports the child in his arms, suggesting a gentle, perhaps protective, gesture. The child appears relaxed, almost asleep, hinting at a narrative of care or mythic guardianship.
Technique & Style
Raimondi employed copper engraving, incising the design into a metal plate and then transferring ink onto laid paper. The print relies on delicate hatching and cross‑hatching to model volume, especially in the muscular torsos and the drapery‑like vertical lines that form the background.
History & Provenance
Raimondi, a leading figure in the spread of Raphael’s designs, likely based this composition on a drawing or cartoon by the master. The print circulated widely in Europe, contributing to the diffusion of High Renaissance motifs beyond Italy during the early 1500s.
Context
Created during a period when printmaking served as a primary means of reproducing and sharing artistic ideas, the work reflects the collaboration between engravers and painters. Its mythological subject aligns with the Renaissance fascination with classical antiquity and the humanist interest in allegorical figures.
Artist & collection
Artist
Marcantonio Raimondi, often called simply Marcantonio (c. 1470/82 – c. 1534), was an Italian engraver, known for being the first important printmaker whose body of work consists largely of prints copying paintings. He…
