{"product_id":"virgil-solis-minerva-visits-the-house-of-envy-ovid-s-metamorphoses-16th-century-woodcut-design-first-published-1563","title":"Virgil Solis – Minerva Visits the House of Envy – Ovid’s Metamorphoses – 16th Century Woodcut, Design First Published 1563","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn exceptional original \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e16th-century Renaissance woodcut by Virgil Solis (1514–1562)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e illustrating one of the darker episodes from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOvid’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetamorphoses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Book II\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMinerva visiting Invidia, the personification of Envy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe scene comes from the story of Aglauros. Minerva (Athena), shown at right carrying her spear, travels to the grim dwelling of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInvidia (Envy)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and commands her to infect Aglauros, daughter of Cecrops, with consuming jealousy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOvid gives a wonderfully grotesque description of Envy—pale, emaciated and corrupted by the very jealousy she inflicts upon others. The woodcut captures the encounter by contrasting the imposing figure of Minerva with the shadowy dwelling of Envy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe design belongs to the celebrated series of illustrations created by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVirgil Solis for Ovid’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetamorphoses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The cycle was first published at Frankfurt in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1563\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and subsequently appeared in additional 16th-century editions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRemarkably, the reverse of this example preserves portions of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoriginal Latin text of Ovid\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e corresponding directly to the episode illustrated on the front. Among the surviving lines is Minerva’s command to Envy:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Infice tabe tua natarum Cecropis unam…”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—ordering Envy to infect one of the daughters of Cecrops with her poison.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis surviving text provides an unusually direct connection between the Renaissance illustration and the ancient literary passage it was created to accompany.\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 Minerva\/Pallas Visiting Invidia (Envy)\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, Book II\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 of this impression:\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\u003eLanguage on reverse:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Latin\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 illustrated side is in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eexcellent visual condition for its age\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, retaining a remarkably crisp, dark impression with strong detail.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe reverse preserves substantial original Latin letterpress from Ovid’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMetamorphoses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOld mounting material and adhesive residue are present on the reverse\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, including a strip of reddish mounting paper along the upper portion, from a previous owner or historic mounting. Small remnants of additional mounting material are also present.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNo attempt has been made to remove the old mounting material or adhesive, as doing so could risk damaging the approximately 450-year-old paper.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlease examine all photographs carefully for the exact condition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA fascinating surviving artifact connecting \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eclassical mythology, Renaissance art, and the history of early European printing\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Divine Library","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":62948469375057,"sku":null,"price":100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0669\/0059\/0673\/files\/3558961A-14B8-4E9D-8C24-92904932E34B.jpg?v=1792095062","url":"https:\/\/thedivinelibrarystore.com\/products\/virgil-solis-minerva-visits-the-house-of-envy-ovid-s-metamorphoses-16th-century-woodcut-design-first-published-1563","provider":"The Divine Library","version":"1.0","type":"link"}