Apollo and Daphne

Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola)

ca. 1538–40 · Etching · Drawings and Prints

Schiavone learned to etch by studying the prints of Parmigianino, the first Italian artist to realize the medium's potential for approximating the spontaneity of drawing. Even more experimental and loose in his approach than his mentor, Schiavone created a number of lively depictions of mythological scenes. Here, the seeming swiftness of his line conveys Daphne's transformation where her fingers turn into branches and her toes root into the ground beside her father, the river god Peneus.

Artist

Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola)

Date

ca. 1538–40

Medium

Etching

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1926