Venus and Adonis, from the series The Story of Adonis 1574 - 1584

This is "Venus and Adonis," an engraving by Philips Galle, created sometime before his death in 1612. The composition immediately draws you into a dense space filled with figures and natural forms. Note how Galle uses line and shadow to model the bodies, creating a sculptural effect on a flat plane. The figures of Venus and Adonis are entwined, their forms overlapping in an intimate embrace. A Cupid-like figure joins them. A lion sits, looking on. Consider how the engraving technique itself—the precise, controlled lines—reflects the period's interest in detail and classical ideals. The detailed rendering of the bodies, landscape, and even the lion, showcases the engraver’s technical skill. Galle masterfully balances the composition with the figures grouped to the right, drawing the eye across the scene. It is a demonstration of the engraver's art, turning mythology into a study of form, line, and texture.