Ceres Seeking Her Daughter (The Mocking of Ceres)

Hendrick Goudt|Adam Elsheimer

1610 · Engraving · Drawings and Prints

Made during Goudt’s residence in Rome from about 1604 to 1610, this engraving depicts the goddess Ceres on her quest to find her daughter, Proserpina. Quenching her thirst at a stranger’s home, she is mocked by a little boy for drinking so greedily. Areas of untouched paper contrast powerfully with the dense, richly inked lines. Especially striking is the sliver of light that gleams through the opening of the cottage door. The print bears a dedication to Cardinal Scipione Borghese, an important collector and patron in Rome.

Artist

Hendrick Goudt|Adam Elsheimer

Date

1610

Medium

Engraving

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Bequest of Hylton A. Thomas, 1969