{"product_id":"original-16th-century-renaissance-woodcut-io-restored-to-human-form","title":"Original 16th-Century Renaissance Woodcut — Io Restored to Human Form","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVirgil Solis (1514–1562) | Ovid’s Metamorphoses | Germany, 16th Century\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn original Renaissance woodcut illustrating the dramatic conclusion of the story of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e from Book I of Ovid’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetamorphoses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAccording to Ovid, Jupiter transformed Io into a heifer in an attempt to conceal her from Juno. What followed was a remarkable journey involving the hundred-eyed Argus, Mercury, Juno, and Io’s wandering across the ancient world.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEventually Io reaches Egypt, where Jupiter persuades Juno to bring her suffering to an end.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIo is finally transformed back into a woman.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe present woodcut belongs to this concluding portion of Io’s story and comes from the celebrated Renaissance illustration tradition associated with German artist \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVirgil Solis (1514–1562)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSolis’s famous series of woodcuts illustrating Ovid’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetamorphoses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e first appeared at Frankfurt in 1563. The blocks were subsequently reused in later 16th-century editions, making it difficult to assign surviving individual fragments to a specific printing without further bibliographical evidence.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Original Latin Survives\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRemarkably, substantial portions of the original Latin text remain on the reverse of this fragment.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe text can be identified as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOvid, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetamorphoses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Book I, approximately lines 738–750\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt describes the moment Io’s transformation is reversed:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Fitque quod ante fuit: fugiunt de corpore setae,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCornua decrescunt, fit luminis arctior orbis…”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHer animal hair disappears.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHer horns diminish.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHer bovine features recede.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHer shoulders and hands return, and her hooves separate into human fingers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOvid summarizes the transformation with the remarkable line:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“De bove nil superest, formae nisi candor, in illa.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNothing of the cow remains except her whiteness.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIo cautiously attempts to speak again, fearful that she might still hear the lowing of the heifer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe passage then declares that she is worshiped as a goddess by the linen-clad people and introduces \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEpaphus, the son of Io and Jupiter\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe survival of these lines provides direct textual evidence identifying the fragment with the conclusion of Io’s story in Ovid.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDetails\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArtist\/Design:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Virgil Solis (1514–1562)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSubject:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Io Restored to Human Form\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWork:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Ovid, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetamorphoses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBook:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Book I\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eText:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Approximately lines 738–750\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDesign first published:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Frankfurt, 1563\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDate:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 16th century\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Germany\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMedium:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Original woodcut on laid paper\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReverse:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Original Latin letterpress\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eApprox. image size:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 6.3 × 8.2 cm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe woodcut itself remains exceptionally attractive, with a strong impression and excellent surviving detail for a print approximately 450 years old.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe reverse retains substantial original Latin letterpress together with remnants from an old mounting. A reddish strip of mounting paper remains adhered across the upper portion of the reverse.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe old mounting material has intentionally been left undisturbed to avoid risking damage to the original Renaissance paper.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlease examine all photographs carefully for the condition of this original 16th-century fragment.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Divine Library","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":63177264267345,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0669\/0059\/0673\/files\/82D499D7-67D7-4030-8558-F21BAB0FB27F.jpg?v=1792979814","url":"https:\/\/thedivinelibrarystore.com\/products\/original-16th-century-renaissance-woodcut-io-restored-to-human-form","provider":"The Divine Library","version":"1.0","type":"link"}