Psyche

Giulio Romano|Léon Davent

ca. 1542 · Engraving · Drawings and Prints

Léon Davent—also known by the monogram L. D., as seen in the lower right corner—was one of the premier engravers associated with the School of Fontainebleau (1542–48). Under the artistic direction of the Italian painter Francesco Primaticcio, Davent and other printmakers translated drawings by leading Italian Mannerists into engravings and etchings, including those by Primaticcio himself, Michelangelo, Rosso Fiorentino, and Parmigianino. The design for this engraving has been attributed to Giulio Romano. By printing his engraving in red ink, Davent was possibly trying to achieve a visual effect similar to that of red-chalk drawings, which were popular at the French court and appealed to the discerning collectors he hoped to attract.

Artist

Giulio Romano|Léon Davent

Date

ca. 1542

Medium

Engraving

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1959