Aesacus zu einem Daucher

Title

Aesacus zu einem Daucher

Period

1550-1600;

Geographic

Troy

Asia Minor

Anatolia

Ancient Greece

Description

This engraving illustrates Aesacus, a son of King Priam of Troy, chasing a nymph named Hesperie. Aesacus fell madly in love with Hesperie and often pursued her. During one of his pursuits of the nymph, Hesperie fell prey to a snake hiding in tall grass. The bite from the snake was fatal and killed her. The illustration shows Hesperie on the ground with the snake by her ankles and Aesacus running after her. Blaming himself for her death, Aesacus threw himself from a cliff which is depicted in the background of the engraving. The sea-goddess, Thetis, pitied Aesacus and transformed him into a loon just before he hit the water. Thetis is visible in the water in the background of the engraving with her hands pointing up towards Aesacus as he falls.

Image Creator

Virgil Solis (Engraver)

Type

Text

Woodcut Engraving

Identifier

mta:23219

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_23219_OBJ.jpg

Collection

Ovid's Metamorphoses

Subject

Aesacus

Thetis

Hesperie

King Priam

Transformation

Gods

Goddesses

Roman Mythology

Greek Mythology