Ewer with Neptune 1525 - 1600

This is René Boyvin’s “Ewer with Neptune,” a print made in the mid- to late-16th century. During this time, the Renaissance fascination with classical antiquity was in full swing, and images of mythological gods and goddesses were extremely popular. What does it mean to revive the stories and images of the ancient world? The figures of Neptune and other sea creatures are rendered with a sensuous, and at times violent, energy. Boyvin’s ewer reflects the Renaissance obsession with the male nude, and the way it becomes a site for both pleasure and power. The idealized male form is put on display, but it's also made to be imposing. Prints like these were not just decorative. They were part of a visual culture that helped to shape the way people thought about beauty, power, and their place in the world. This ewer is a reminder of how art can be both beautiful and deeply implicated in the power dynamics of its time.