Original 16th-Century Virgil Solis Woodcut — Io from Ovid’s Metamorphoses - Germany

An original Renaissance woodcut from Virgil Solis’s celebrated illustration cycle for Ovid’s Metamorphoses, depicting an episode from the extraordinary story of Io.

In Ovid’s account, Jupiter transforms Io—the daughter of the river god Inachus—into a beautiful heifer. Unable to speak in her new form, Io attempts to cry out but hears only the lowing of a cow. Eventually she returns to the banks of her father’s river, where she sees her newly formed horns reflected in the water.

The woodcut bears the small “VS” monogram of Virgil Solis (1514–1562) at the lower left.

Solis was one of the most prolific German printmakers of the Renaissance. His celebrated series illustrating Ovid’s Metamorphoses first appeared at Frankfurt in 1563, with the woodblocks subsequently reused for later editions during the 16th century.

The Latin Text Survives

The reverse preserves substantial original Latin letterpress—and remarkably, the text can be identified directly.

It comes from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Book I, approximately lines 635–646, describing Io immediately after her transformation:

“…mugitus edidit ore,
Pertimuitque sonos, propriaque exterrita voce est…”

Io attempts to speak, but instead produces the lowing of a cow and becomes frightened by the sound of her own voice.

The following lines describe her arrival at the familiar banks of the Inachus. Looking into the water, she sees her new horns and recoils in terror. Neither the Naiads nor her own father initially recognize her.

This surviving text provides a remarkable direct connection between the physical Renaissance woodcut and the ancient story it was created to illustrate.

Details

Artist: Virgil Solis (1514–1562)
Work: Illustration from Ovid’s Metamorphoses
Subject: Io transformed into a heifer / the story of Io
Book: Metamorphoses, Book I
Design first published: Frankfurt, 1563
Date: 16th century
Origin: Germany
Medium: Original woodcut on laid paper
Monogram: “VS” at lower left
Reverse: Original Latin letterpress from Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book I
Approx. image size: 6.3 × 8.2 cm

Condition

The woodcut itself survives with a strong, attractive impression and excellent detail for its age.

The reverse retains substantial original Latin letterpress along with remnants of an old mounting. A reddish strip of mounting paper remains adhered across the upper portion of the reverse, with additional traces of historical adhesive/mounting material.

The old mounting material has intentionally been left undisturbed to avoid risking damage to the approximately 450-year-old paper.

Please examine all photographs carefully for the condition of this original Renaissance fragment.