Memnonis funcken in Vögel

Title

Memnonis funcken in Vögel

Period

1550-1600;

Geographic

Ancient Greece

Phrygia

Thrace

Description

This engraving depicts Memnon, the son of the goddess Aurora, being burned in a funeral pyre after being killed by Achilles. Aurora, grieved by the death of her warrior son, goes to Jupiter to ask him to grant her son some kind of honour. Aurora is illustrated in the background of the engraving floating in the clouds speaking to Jupiter. While Memnon’s funeral pyre was blazing, a flock of birds emerged from the smoke. The birds split into two groups and began fighting each other to the death where they eventually fell into Memnon’s ashes. They are called the Memnonides. This event occurs every twelve years in honour of Memnon.

Image Creator

Virgil Solis (Engraver)

Type

Text

Woodcut Engraving

Identifier

mta:23245

Language

ger

Source Name

P. Ouidij Nasonis, deß Sinnreichen und hochverstendigen Poeten, Metamorphoses oder Verwandlung, mit schönen figuren gezieret, auch kurzen Argumenten und außlegungen erkläret, und in Teutsche Reymen gebracht, durch Johann Spreng von Augspurg [Publius Ovidius Naso, the Ingenious and Highly Understandable Poet, Metamorphoses or Transformations, Adorned with Beautiful Images, and also descriptions of Short Arguments and Explanations, Brought into German Rhymes by Johann Spreng of Augsburg]

Parent Collection

1564 Frankfurt Spreng

Image

mta_23245_OBJ.jpg

Collection

Ovid's Metamorphoses

Subject

Memnon

Achilles

Aurora

Jupiter

Roman Mythology

Greek Mythology

Gods

Goddesses