Venus and Cupid standing on the shore to left, Cupid shooting an arrow into the heart of Pluto, riding on his chariot in the sea to right; with the mouth of Hades behind to right. 1606 Etching made by: Antonio Tempesta Metamorphoseon sive transformationum - published 1606 About this series: Though not published till 1606, Tempesta's designs precedes the well-known series of the metamorphoses by Goltzius ( Circa 1598) as well as de Passe, whose own cycles were published in the late 16th century. This indicates how important this Tempesta engraved series is. Reference: Bartsch / Le Peintre graveur (XVII.151.683) Condition: Good impression. With good wide margins In a full little sheet of laid paper from the period. Good condition Fine etching in the sensitive style of the Northern Italian Schools Inventor-engraverPainter-engraver from Florence. Important link between Flemish and Italian art. Pupil of Jan Van Der Straet (Stradanus).His fresco of hunting and battle scenes are highly estimated. His horse figures are phenomenall. Antonio, perhaps even more then Rembrandt saw the etching technique as the medium to express his art. Tempesta is best known for his etchings for Ovid's Metamorphoses and his innovative prints of battles and hunts. (Source: metmuseum)