{"product_id":"original-16th-century-virgil-solis-woodcut-venus-and-adonis","title":"Original 16th-Century Virgil Solis Woodcut — Venus and Adonis","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 by celebrated German artist \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVirgil Solis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, depicting the tragic love story of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVenus and Adonis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e from Book X of Ovid’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetamorphoses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe beautiful young Adonis was a passionate hunter—and became the unlikely object of the goddess Venus’s affection.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAccording to Ovid, Venus was accidentally wounded by one of Cupid’s arrows and fell deeply in love with the young hunter. She began accompanying Adonis through the countryside and warned him against pursuing dangerous wild animals.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut Adonis would not escape his fate.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDuring a later hunt, he encountered a wild boar. The animal turned upon him and mortally wounded him, leaving Venus to mourn her dying lover.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe present woodcut depicts \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVenus and Adonis together within the landscape of the hunt\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The couple sits beneath a towering tree while hunting dogs, nets, game, and other details fill the surrounding countryside.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDespite measuring only approximately 6 × 8 cm, Solis filled the composition with remarkable narrative and visual detail.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVirgil Solis and Ovid\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVirgil Solis (1514–1562) was one of the most prolific German printmakers and book illustrators of the Renaissance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAmong his most celebrated works was an extensive series of woodcut illustrations for Ovid’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetamorphoses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis composition illustrates the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVenus and Adonis episode of Book X, approximately lines 519–559\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Solis designs appeared in a Frankfurt edition of Ovid in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1563\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, shortly after the artist’s death. The woodblocks continued to be used for later editions during the 16th century.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBecause the original blocks were reused, the precise printing date of this particular impression has not yet been conclusively established. It is therefore conservatively described as an original \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e16th-century impression\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e of the Virgil Solis design.\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\u003eSubject:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Venus and Adonis\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 X\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEpisode:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Approximately lines 519–559\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\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 primary woodcut survives with a strong and attractive impression and excellent detail for its age.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe piece has been trimmed from its original book leaf.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe reverse preserves portions of original early printing, including German blackletter text and part of another woodcut illustration, together with remnants of an old mounting.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA reddish strip of mounting paper remains adhered across the upper portion of the reverse, and there is irregular trimming\/loss along the lower-left portion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe historical 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, particularly the reverse, as they form an important part of the condition description.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Divine Library","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":63178429235281,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0669\/0059\/0673\/files\/4E490433-96CC-4B66-BB41-E24E4ABEFF3D.jpg?v=1792983200","url":"https:\/\/thedivinelibrarystore.com\/products\/original-16th-century-virgil-solis-woodcut-venus-and-adonis","provider":"The Divine Library","version":"1.0","type":"link"}