{"product_id":"original-16th-century-virgil-solis-woodcut-io-from-ovid-s-metamorphoses-germany","title":"Original 16th-Century Virgil Solis Woodcut — Io from Ovid’s Metamorphoses - Germany","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn original Renaissance woodcut from Virgil Solis’s celebrated illustration cycle for Ovid’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetamorphoses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, depicting an episode from the extraordinary story of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe woodcut bears the small \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“VS” monogram of Virgil Solis (1514–1562)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e at the lower left.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSolis was one of the most prolific German printmakers of the Renaissance. His celebrated series illustrating Ovid’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetamorphoses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e first appeared at Frankfurt in 1563, with the woodblocks subsequently reused for later editions during the 16th century.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Latin Text Survives\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe reverse preserves substantial original Latin letterpress—and remarkably, the text can be identified directly.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt comes from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOvid’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetamorphoses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Book I, approximately lines 635–646\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, describing Io immediately after her transformation:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“…mugitus edidit ore,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePertimuitque sonos, propriaque exterrita voce est…”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIo attempts to speak, but instead produces the lowing of a cow and becomes frightened by the sound of her own voice.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis surviving text provides a remarkable direct connection between the physical Renaissance woodcut and the ancient story it was created to illustrate.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDetails\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArtist:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Virgil Solis (1514–1562)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWork:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Illustration from Ovid’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetamorphoses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSubject:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Io transformed into a heifer \/ the story of Io\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBook:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetamorphoses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Book I\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\u003eMonogram:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e “VS” at lower left\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReverse:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Original Latin letterpress from Ovid, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetamorphoses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Book I\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 survives with a strong, attractive impression and excellent detail for its age.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 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.\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 approximately 450-year-old paper.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlease examine all photographs carefully for the condition of this original Renaissance fragment.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Divine Library","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":63177235857489,"sku":null,"price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0669\/0059\/0673\/files\/A21AA5A0-76D2-4546-B456-CDE7C283D0A0.jpg?v=1792979570","url":"https:\/\/thedivinelibrarystore.com\/products\/original-16th-century-virgil-solis-woodcut-io-from-ovid-s-metamorphoses-germany","provider":"The Divine Library","version":"1.0","type":"link"}