Cephalus kills Procris 24 - 1585

Curator: Before us is "Cephalus Kills Procris," a drawing by Hans von Aachen, dating from 1584-1585. The piece employs ink, chalk, and pencil on paper and currently resides at the Städel Museum. Editor: It strikes me immediately as dramatic, and rather somber. The landscape seems to be closing in on the figures, doesn't it? And that limited palette contributes to the melancholy. Curator: The composition certainly plays into that reading. Note the archer, Cephalus, positioned on the left, drawing back his bow. His figure is rendered with dynamic lines, contrasting sharply with the static pose of Procris on the right, who has already been struck. This use of contrapposto and stark division generates narrative tension. Editor: Absolutely, and think of the classical sources Aachen is drawing upon. The tragic tale of Cephalus and Procris, a love story ending in accidental death because of paranoia and mistrust... It's a potent allegory about the fragility of relationships, isn't it? The arrow is symbolic of how easily love can be wounded, sometimes fatally. Curator: Precisely. It's a brilliant intersection of form and content. The artist employs visible hatching to describe the form, not just to create shade, thus revealing the medium and therefore also exposing his intention of producing a disegno, not an istoria. Also, observe how Aachen modulates the pressure of the pencil, generating depth without relying on strong tonal contrasts. Editor: And considering the story's origins, that landscape takes on added meaning. It represents the hunting grounds where they met, where they loved, and ultimately, where Procris met her end, and evokes similar themes as Nicolas Poussin paintings. The trees are silent witnesses to their fate. It's also relevant considering 16th century princely German and Habsburg collections which used the theme of hunting in tapestries. Curator: An incisive point. I concur fully that Aachen here delivers a masterful performance, creating both dramatic engagement and intellectual complexity, all within a seemingly simple sketch. Editor: A poignant image and skillful representation. Thanks to his composition we gain a small entry point into that particular story.