Angelica and Medoro; the couple embracing, Medoro carving their names in the bark of a tree; Cupid holding a torch in the background 1520 - 1582

Giorgio Ghisi made this print, *Angelica and Medoro; the couple embracing, Medoro carving their names in the bark of a tree; Cupid holding a torch in the background* with engraving. The intimate embrace of the figures in the foreground contrasts with the detailed landscape and the sharp lines defining their musculature. The composition is structured around the intertwining of bodies and nature, challenging traditional notions of romance. Ghisi's technique, with its fine and dense lines, creates a complex interplay of light and shadow, emphasizing the tactile quality of the skin and foliage. We observe a semiotic system, where the act of carving names becomes a signifier of possession and permanence, set against the transient backdrop of nature. This tension between the enduring and the ephemeral destabilizes conventional readings of love as purely sentimental. The artist also uses line and form to question the boundaries between the natural and the artificial, reflecting a broader cultural discourse on artifice and authenticity. Ghisi's formal precision transforms the moment of romantic union into a commentary on the power dynamics inherent in relationships.