Aesculapius verwandlet sich in einen Drachen · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Aesculapius verwandlet sich in einen Drachen
Period: 1550-1600;
Geographic: Rome; Italy
Description: This engraving depicts the god of healing, Aesculapius, transformed in the form of a winged snake. He is illustrated outside of his own temple on the left side of the image. There are men standing in front of Aesculapius who appear to be extremely afraid of the snake. These men are Romans who sought the help of Aesculapius because their city was ravaged by the plague. Aesculapius had appeared to one of these Roman delegates in his dream to inform him that he would help their city and accompany them back to Rome on their ships in the form of a serpent.
Image Creator: Virgil Solis (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:23356
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_23356_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Ovid's Metamorphoses
Subject: Gods; Roman Mythology; Plague; Roman Republic; Greek Mythology; Aesculapius

Media: mta_23356_OBJ.jpg