Virgil the Sorcerer c. 1460 - 1463

print, engraving

medieval

narrative-art

print

pen sketch

etching

figuration

cityscape

engraving

"Virgil the Sorcerer" (c. 1460-1463) is a striking woodcut by an anonymous artist. This print depicts a scene from the life of Virgil, a Roman poet, and features a fantastical illustration of a city and a crowd gathered around a figure performing sorcery. The print is an example of the popularity of Virgil's work in Renaissance Italy, where his writings were seen as a source of magic and knowledge. The artist's meticulous detail and the use of perspective create a sense of depth and realism in the image. The dramatic figures and the imposing architecture create a sense of grandeur and awe, inviting viewers to step into a world of enchantment and wonder. The Minneapolis Institute of Art's copy of "Virgil the Sorcerer" exemplifies the art of woodcuts in the Italian Renaissance.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Virgil (70-19 B.C.E.) was the most famous poet of his time, honored as a divinity after his death. In the popular tradition, the admiration for his literary work went along with that for his supposed powers as a sorcerer. The engraving tells the story of his spurned love for the Emperor’s daughter, who pretended to accept the poet’s advances. She agreed to receive him in secret by lifting him up to her room in a basket, but halfway up she left him dangling until daylight revealed his laughable predicament to the Romans. The prank laid bare the susceptibility of even such a revered man to ordinary human passions. The emperor saves Virgil from further punishments as the magical poet takes his revenge by extinguishing all fires in Rome, except that particular one residing between the legs of the Emperor’s daughter. And for years thereafter, the citizens knew that from that source they could kindle their flames. The tale, which had great popularity between the 14th and 16th centuries, captures the foolishness of all who are in love, but also underscores the malevolent power of lustful women.