Beschreibung deß Schlaffshauß · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Beschreibung deß Schlaffshauß
Period: 1550-1600;
Geographic: Thessaly; Ancient Greece
Description: This engraving depicts Iris, the messenger of the Gods, entering the cave of the god of sleep. The god of sleep is illustrated laying on a bed of ebony on the right side of the image which is veiled by a dark-grey sheet. Iris was sent to seek out the god of sleep by Juno. Juno wishes for the god to appear to Alcyone in a dream to reveal that her husband, King Ceyx of Thessaly, has died in a shipwreck. Iris is depicted pulling back the veil to reveal the god of sleep.
Image Creator: Virgil Solis (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:23217
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_23217_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Ovid's Metamorphoses
Subject: Iris; Sleep; Juno; Alcyone; Ceyx; Gods; Goddesses; Roman Mythology; Greek Mythology