Cimon and Pero 1645 - 1680

Curator: This engraving, dating from sometime between 1645 and 1680, is titled "Cimon and Pero," credited to Cornelis van Caukercken. It currently resides at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. What strikes you immediately about this piece? Editor: The stark chiaroscuro creates an incredibly intimate and dramatic effect. The stark contrasts of light and shadow really pull you into the tender exchange depicted between the two figures. The rendering of texture through line is also remarkable. Curator: The narrative stems from Roman history—an aged Cimon, sentenced to death by starvation, is secretly visited and nourished by his daughter, Pero, who breastfeeds him. It’s an incredible subversion of filial duty and devotion, with very loaded sensual implications. What resonates powerfully, I think, is how the iconography addresses both transgression and familial love. The scene reverberates with deep, conflicting emotions. Editor: Absolutely. You can feel the weight of that emotional complexity in the composition itself. The artist masterfully directs our eye, the positioning of the figures and strategic placement of the light force us to consider the relationship. I think the use of line directs the eye from the daughter’s face to her exposed breast and finally to the face of her father; our perspective and sympathies, in that journey, are totally aligned with the human drama that unfolds before us. Curator: And it has appeared and reappeared for centuries. I see it not just as a classical allusion but as a story of female sacrifice throughout art history—echoing through similar archetypes. This image provides an interesting nexus between Baroque art, family relationships, and classical narratives, creating something of real enduring psychological weight. Editor: It is quite astonishing that so much depth can come from such relatively limited visual means. Each stroke in the engraving serves to enhance both its conceptual significance and striking emotional character.