De dood van Adonis 1537 - 1550

"The Death of Adonis" is an engraving made circa 1540 by Antonio Fantuzzi, an Italian artist working in France. Fantuzzi was part of the Fontainebleau School, which was influenced by Italian Mannerism and known for its elegant and elongated figures. This print depicts a scene from classical mythology – the death of Adonis, a youth of remarkable beauty. Fantuzzi captures the emotional intensity of the moment as the Goddess Venus and her attendants mourn over Adonis' body, after being attacked by a wild boar. Note how Fantuzzi uses the conventions of his time to depict this mythological scene, such as idealizing the male nude. Representations like this speak to the gendered dynamics embedded in the visual culture of the Renaissance, where the male form was often celebrated. This print invites us to reflect on themes of love, loss, and the ephemeral nature of beauty, interpreted through the lens of 16th-century artistic conventions.