Perseus and Andromeda 1575 - 1635

Gotthard Ringgli made this pen and brown ink drawing of Perseus and Andromeda in Switzerland sometime between 1590 and 1635. Ringgli here depicts a classical myth as it was understood in the late Renaissance. The imagery creates meaning through visual codes, such as the winged horse, the nude female figure chained to a rock, and the sea monster. These cultural references and historical associations were common visual currency at the time. In societies with deep class divisions, a common artistic theme was the heroic rescue of a noble figure, as we see here. Understanding the image relies on unpacking the history of its reception through time. Old myths find new life when artists like Ringgli take them up. Art historians can use a wide variety of textual sources to trace the circulation of classical myths in the early modern period. The meaning of art depends so much on its social and institutional context.