Rinaldo und Armida – Armidens Liebe 1805

Johann Peter Krafft made this print called Rinaldo und Armida – Armidens Liebe. The story comes from a 16th-century Italian epic poem about the Crusades. It shows the sorceress Armida gazing at the sleeping knight Rinaldo. They are in her enchanted garden, a place of pleasure and beauty designed to distract knights from their military duties. The scene offers a gendered view of power, where feminine seduction is perceived as a threat to masculine valor. This print was made in Austria, in a time that was marked by growing nationalism and political unrest. Krafft and other artists found inspiration in historical and mythological narratives to represent contemporary social ideals. To understand this artwork, we can refer to literary sources, historical documents, and critical essays that shed light on the cultural and political context of the 19th century. This helps us reflect on the historical significance of art and its relationship to social and institutional structures.