De droom van Agamemnon 1710

Bernard Picart created this print, titled 'The Dream of Agamemnon,' sometime around the turn of the 18th century in the Dutch Republic. The print visualizes a scene from Homer's *Iliad,* a foundational text for understanding ancient Greek culture. The image creates meaning through its engagement with classical imagery. We see the god Zeus sending a dream to Agamemnon, the leader of the Greek army at Troy. This intervention advances the plot of the *Iliad,* and the image gives visual form to a well-known story with its own cultural weight and authority. The dream is intended to trick Agamemnon into thinking that he can win the war, but it is a deception designed to test his leadership. Picart was French, but he produced this print in Amsterdam, a major center for the book trade. Visualizing classical texts through print was one way that early modern Europeans engaged with their cultural heritage, but also how they made it serve present needs. This image prompts us to consider how institutions like publishing houses influenced the production and reception of art. The image of the dream invites us to think about the public role of art and its power to shape our understanding of history.