Niobe bij Apollo en Diana 1656

Giovanni Battista Galestruzzi made this print, Niobe bij Apollo en Diana, in Italy in the mid-seventeenth century. It shows a scene from classical mythology. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Niobe boasts of her fecundity and mocks the goddess Leto, who only has two children. These are Apollo and Diana, who sit here impassively, as Niobe begs for mercy. They will proceed to murder all of her children. Galestruzzi was born in Rome. He was associated with the Accademia di San Luca, Rome's artists' academy, which promoted a classical style of art. This print shows the influence of that institution. The clean lines, the idealized bodies, and the balanced composition reflect academic values. But the print also conveys the cruelty of the Gods toward mortals, a theme that would resonate in a period marked by religious conflict. Prints such as this circulated widely, influencing taste and helping to diffuse the classical style. Art historians study these images to understand both the artistic values of the time and the social function of art.