Dido 1500

andreamantegna

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), Montreal, Canada

carving

portrait

statue

abstract painting

carving

charcoal drawing

possibly oil pastel

charcoal art

oil painting

famous-people

fluid art

acrylic on canvas

portrait head and shoulder

underpainting

mythology

animal drawing portrait

female-portraits

Andrea Mantegna's "Dido" (1500) is a masterful example of the Early Renaissance, depicting the tragic queen of Carthage from Virgil's Aeneid. The somber palette and detailed rendering of Dido's drapery emphasize her grief, while her posture and the urn in her hand symbolize her impending suicide. This poignant depiction of a mythological figure reflects Mantegna's fascination with classical history and his ability to convey powerful emotions with subtle visual means.