A giant supporting a rock 1638

This etching by Bartolomeo Coriolano, entitled “A Giant Supporting a Rock”, dates to 1638 and depicts a powerful figure struggling to hold aloft a massive boulder. The image is characterized by strong contrasts of light and shadow, giving the work a dramatic and forceful aesthetic. Coriolano's print captures the sheer physicality of the giant, highlighting the strain and exertion of his monumental task. The artist's skillful use of crosshatching and hatching enhances the sense of weight and volume in the piece, drawing the viewer's eye to the dynamic interplay between the giant's straining muscles and the massive weight he supports. This print, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifies Coriolano's mastery of the etching technique and his talent for depicting the human form in a state of powerful struggle.