Meleager Bringing the Boar's Head to Atalanta 1540 - 1545

Antonio Fantuzzi made this print, "Meleager Bringing the Boar's Head to Atalanta," in the 1540s, using etching. This process involves coating a metal plate with wax, scratching an image into it, and then bathing the plate in acid, which bites into the exposed metal. Ink is then applied and the plate is pressed onto paper, leaving an impression. Fantuzzi’s print is characterized by dense networks of lines and a dramatic composition. Note the contrast between the sharp, precise lines defining the figures and the more chaotic, blurred areas in the background. This contrast is partly inherent to the etching process, where the strength and duration of the acid bath can lead to unpredictable results. The lunette shape also focuses the eye. Fantuzzi would have had to consider how to accommodate the narrative of the hunt within this difficult format. By emphasizing the physicality of the figures and the labor of the hunt, Fantuzzi elevates the status of printmaking. In doing so, he demonstrates the expressive potential of what was then considered a relatively new medium. He is, in effect, bringing craft and the ‘fine arts’ together.