Zeemonster of triton met om het hoofd gebogen armen 1567 - 1602

This is Agostino Carracci’s drawing of a Zeemonster, made using black chalk. Carracci was an Italian painter and printmaker during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. Here, the mythical creature is captured in a moment of introspection, his head bowed and arms folded. He appears lost in thought or perhaps even sorrowful. The Renaissance was a time of renewed interest in classical mythology, and creatures like Tritons—half-human, half-fish beings—were often used to explore themes of transformation and the duality of human nature. Carracci's choice to depict the Zeemonster in such a human-like pose invites us to empathize with him. The drawing challenges traditional representations of mythical beings as purely fantastical or monstrous. Instead, Carracci finds a moment of vulnerability, thus blurring the lines between the human and the mythical, the real and the imagined. This drawing serves as a poignant reflection on the complexities of identity and emotion.