Jason entschläfft den Drachen · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Jason entschläfft den Drachen
Period: 1550-1600;
Geographic: Colchis; Modern day Georgia; Ancient Greece
Description: This engraving illustrates Jason, the leader of the Argonauts, pouring a Lethean herb juice over the dragon that guards the Golden Fleece. The juice, along with an incantation spoken by Jason, puts the dragon to sleep so that Jason can retrieve the Golden Fleece. Medea, the daughter of King Aeetes, had given Jason the magical herbs to put the dragon to sleep in order to help him win this challenge. Jason had promised to marry Medea so long as she helped him win the Golden Fleece from her father.
Image Creator: Virgil Solis (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:22609
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_22609_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Ovid's Metamorphoses
Subject: Jason; Argonauts; Medea; Golden Fleece; Roman Mythology; Greek Mythology; Dragons