Aeneas meeting the ghost of Creusa (Aeneam alloquitur simulacrum et umbra creusae)
1663
Amidst the chaotic fall of Troy, depicted on the left with fleeing citizens and burning buildings, the hero Aeneas turns back in despair only to find the ghost of his wife, Creusa. Floating on swirling clouds on the right, she points him away from the destruction, urging him to flee to Italy and fulfill his destiny rather than searching for her. This dramatic scene from Virgil's Aeneid was originally designed by the master painter Annibale Carracci and later translated into this fine engraving by Giuseppe Maria Mitelli in 1663. The contrast between the earthly panic of the refugees and the ethereal, commanding presence of the ghost perfectly captures the Baroque love for high emotion and divine intervention.
- Technique
- Engraving
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