Hecuba vindt het aangespoelde lichaam van haar zoon Polydorus 1804

Damiano Pernati created this print depicting Hecuba discovering the body of her son Polydorus. We find here the figures from classical mythology rendered in the neoclassical style then in vogue across Europe. Prints like this circulated widely and served to disseminate cultural values. Here, the values are drawn from ancient Greek tragedy, which often explores themes of fate, suffering, and the consequences of human actions. Pernati was working in Italy, where academies of art promoted neoclassical aesthetics and drew on ancient history. Italy was experiencing political and social upheaval. The French Revolution had challenged traditional hierarchies and institutions, and the Napoleonic Wars were reshaping the map of Europe. This print, with its focus on suffering and loss, may reflect the anxieties and uncertainties of the time. Historians look to sources like letters, diaries, and political writings to deepen our understanding of the cultural values embedded in artworks. This print reminds us that art is always shaped by the social conditions in which it is made.