Water 1573 - 1580

This small etching depicts the Greek god Neptune, god of the sea, in an oval composition. The artwork, created by the French artist Etienne Delaune between 1573 and 1580, captures Neptune as he wields his trident and stands on a giant scallop shell, commanding sea creatures that surround him. The detailed lines and shading of Delaune's etching, now housed in the Rijksmuseum, provide a sense of movement and energy as Neptune controls the powerful forces of the ocean.