Tethis 1772 - 1773

"Tethis" is a 1772-1773 etching by Antoine Alexandre Joseph Cardon. The print depicts the Greek Titaness Tethys, a sea goddess who personifies the primordial waters, pouring water from a bucket. A dolphin swims at her side, and she sits on a sea creature with its tail curled around her legs. Cardon's detailed linework and shading bring the scene to life, emphasizing the figure of Tethys and the flow of the water. This work is a fine example of 18th-century French engraving and classical mythology. It is now part of the Rijksmuseum collection in Amsterdam.