Pltae 70: Procris Giving Cephalus a Dog and a Javelin (Cephalus et iaculo inevitabili, et cane pernicißimo a Procride donatur), from Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' 1606

Antonio Tempesta created this small engraving around 1606, illustrating a scene from Ovid’s *Metamorphoses*. The composition is neatly divided, positioning Cephalus and Procris as the central figures in the foreground. Tempesta uses dense, parallel lines to define form and shadow, creating a rich, textural contrast across the figures' drapery and musculature, underscoring their three-dimensionality within the shallow depth of the landscape. Notice how the exchange of gifts—the dog and javelin—functions not just as a narrative element but also as a symbolic interplay of power. The javelin, aimed directly between the figures, introduces an element of potential violence or competition into the relationship. The act of giving is itself fraught, destabilizing fixed gender roles and values within their classical context. Tempesta presents a moment of exchange that is both graceful and tense, inviting ongoing interpretation of the complex dynamics at play.