Andrea Mantegna
Battle of the Sea Gods
c. 1480
prints & drawings
Mantegna was one of the first great artists who made prints himself. The subtlety of the engraving, the powerful modelling and the expressive figures make this one of the masterpieces of Renaissance printmaking. It depicts several sea gods doing battle under the watchful eye of Invidia (Envy), the ugly woman on the left. The battle takes place literally behind Neptune's back; the god stands in the background with his trident.
