The Dream of Aenëas c. 1663 - 1664

Salvator Rosa created this intaglio print, The Dream of Aeneas, sometime in the 17th century. The linear quality of the etched lines gives the scene a dynamic, almost restless energy. Rosa masterfully uses hatching and cross-hatching to create depth and shadow. Rosa's composition draws us into a world of classical mythology and the human psyche. Aeneas rests wearily, leaning on his shield while a river god gestures emphatically towards a distant scene, perhaps a vision of his destiny. The rugged, overgrown landscape echoes the inner turmoil and epic journey of Aeneas. Rosa uses line to convey not just form but also mood, creating a visual language that explores themes of fate, heroism, and the power of the subconscious. The textural contrasts achieved through the etching technique—from the smooth skin of Aeneas to the rough bark of the trees—heighten the viewer's sensory experience, pulling us deeper into Aeneas's dream. This emphasis on texture, light, and shadow functions beyond the aesthetic; it situates the work within a broader discourse about the interplay between our internal worlds and the external forces that shape our destinies.