Staande os 1565 - 1630

Antonio Tempesta etched this image of a standing ox some time between 1575 and 1630. The image creates meaning through visual codes, cultural references and historical associations. The bull, or ox, has been a consistent symbolic figure throughout European history. In Ancient Greece, the bull was closely associated with the Minoan civilization on Crete, and it was also a symbol of Zeus. The image of the ox in art is further complicated by the Catholic tradition in Italy, where Tempesta was working, wherein Saint Luke is associated with an ox. We see in the print the importance of livestock to the Italian economy of the time. Prints like this one are useful for the art historian. By consulting print catalogs and other documentary sources, we can begin to understand Tempesta’s role in the artistic networks of his time.