A faun standing in a niche holding aloft a bunch of grapes with his right hand and fruit with his left hand, a dog lower right 1510 - 1532

Marco Dente created this engraving of a faun around 1520. Note how the faun fills the vertical space, framed by the stark, clean lines of the niche. The texture and the composition encourage a closer examination of the play between classical form and dynamic energy. The figure's idealized, muscular physique, rendered with meticulous cross-hatching, draws heavily from classical sculpture, but Dente infuses it with a certain vitality. The faun is not merely a static form; the upward reach towards the grapes and the attentive gaze of the dog introduce a narrative element, destabilizing the timelessness often associated with classical art. Observe how Dente uses light and shadow to sculpt the form, creating depth and volume that plays with the viewer's perception. This engraving transcends mere reproduction, inviting us to consider the interplay between form, content, and the dynamic possibilities of visual representation.