Venus, de Gratiën en Amor betreuren de dood van Adonis 1569

This tiny engraving at the Rijksmuseum, only 40 by 50 mm, was created by Etienne Delaune, who died in 1583. The scene is divided into two horizontal parts: above, a group of figures sits on clouds; below, we see the body of Adonis. The whole image is rendered through tiny, precise, parallel lines and dots. The top part of the print is dedicated to the deities, whose grief is depicted through their postures. Venus is central, flanked by the Graces and Amor, who seem to be wailing at the death of Adonis below. This clear separation between the world of the gods and the terrestrial realm allows Delaune to express a hierarchy within the composition, while also connecting to larger philosophical concerns around fate, mortality, and the relationship between the divine and human experiences. The composition is a structured reflection on loss and mourning, and the way in which art can represent emotional and philosophical concepts.