Orpheus en Eurydice 1692 - 1739

This etching, "Orpheus en Eurydice," by Louis Desplaces depicts the Greek myth of Orpheus' journey to the underworld to retrieve his wife Eurydice. Created between 1692 and 1739, the print shows Orpheus, lyre in hand, guiding Eurydice away from the three-headed dog Cerberus, while Pluto and Persephone watch from a throne. The scene emphasizes the drama of the myth through the figures' expressive gestures, highlighting the tension between love and loss, and the power of music to conquer death.