Man Grappling with Winged Horse, from "Ex Antiquis Cameorum et Gemmae Delineata/ Liber Secundus/et ab Enea Vico Parmen Incis" 1599 - 1622

This engraving, "Man Grappling with Winged Horse", is from a collection of prints now held at the Metropolitan Museum. Notice how the composition uses the stark contrast of dark lines against the white paper to create depth and texture. The figure of the man, rendered with careful anatomical detail, wrestles with the winged horse. The use of line, particularly in the background, creates an almost overwhelming sense of space, heightening the drama. The subject matter—a struggle between man and mythical beast—speaks to the Renaissance fascination with classical antiquity. The choice of engraving as a medium is also significant. The precise, controlled lines allow for a level of detail that would be difficult to achieve in other media. This precision lends the scene a sense of realism, even as it depicts an impossible event. Through a close attention to form and technique, the anonymous artist invites us to contemplate the boundaries between the real and the imagined, the human and the divine.