Apollo en Daphne 1650 - 1703

This print, "Apollo en Daphne," was made by an anonymous artist in Paris, though based on the work of Nicolas Poussin. It depicts a chaotic scene, seemingly lifted from classical mythology, complete with cherubic figures. What's striking is the inscription "Avec Privilege du Roy," indicating that its production was sanctioned, and therefore shaped, by the French monarchy. This points to the way art served as a tool of royal authority and control. The image, steeped in classical imagery, speaks to the cultural values of the time, a conscious revival of antiquity. Yet, the playful, almost libertine treatment, hints at the shifting social mores of the era. The work’s formal elements are thus inseparable from the political and social context in which it was produced. To fully understand this piece, we must examine the printmaking industry of the time, the role of royal patronage, and the evolving social attitudes towards classical themes. These all serve to contextualize what might otherwise appear as a straightforward mythological scene.