Descent into Limbo
Print
ca. 1475 - 1480 (made)
ca. 1475 - 1480 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This print shows how Andrea Mantegna (1430/1-1506) varied his shading lines with parallel lines and zigzagging lines with hooked ends. Mantegna used two sizes of burin to vary line thickness and favoured the lozenge or diamond-shaped burins used in Northern Europe to the Italian rounded ciapolla. He occasionally employed drypoint for finer lines, but in this example the drypoint marks have worn down and are no longer visible.
There is some debate about which prints Mantegna engraved himself, if at all. He is known to have been looking for a professional engraver from 1475, but one is not known of until the 1490s. The attribution of this print to Mantegna himself is based on comparison with the preparatory drawing, revealing changes engraved directly onto the plate.
The composition is famous for the unusual placement of the figure of Christ, with his back to the viewer as he enters into Limbo. It also shows Mantegna's interest in rock formations, which he studied from nature.
There is some debate about which prints Mantegna engraved himself, if at all. He is known to have been looking for a professional engraver from 1475, but one is not known of until the 1490s. The attribution of this print to Mantegna himself is based on comparison with the preparatory drawing, revealing changes engraved directly onto the plate.
The composition is famous for the unusual placement of the figure of Christ, with his back to the viewer as he enters into Limbo. It also shows Mantegna's interest in rock formations, which he studied from nature.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Descent into Limbo (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | engraving print on paper |
| Brief description | Engraving. Andrea Mantegna. Descent into Limbo, ca. 1475-1480. |
| Physical description | Jesus Christ descending into Hell. Showing an archway set into a rock and guarded by winged demons blowing horns, Christ with his Resurrection banner enters the archway. He stands on the broken door. A man (usually identified as the Penitent Thief, Dimas or Dismas) stands to his left holding the Cross. To the right are a group of men and a woman who appear tormented, one holding his hands to his ears. Two of these are usually identified as Adam and Eve. |
| Dimensions |
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| Styles | |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by Rev. Alexander Dyce |
| Production | In Mantegna exhibition catalogue (1992) this is catalogued as being by Andrea Mantegna himself. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This print shows how Andrea Mantegna (1430/1-1506) varied his shading lines with parallel lines and zigzagging lines with hooked ends. Mantegna used two sizes of burin to vary line thickness and favoured the lozenge or diamond-shaped burins used in Northern Europe to the Italian rounded ciapolla. He occasionally employed drypoint for finer lines, but in this example the drypoint marks have worn down and are no longer visible. There is some debate about which prints Mantegna engraved himself, if at all. He is known to have been looking for a professional engraver from 1475, but one is not known of until the 1490s. The attribution of this print to Mantegna himself is based on comparison with the preparatory drawing, revealing changes engraved directly onto the plate. The composition is famous for the unusual placement of the figure of Christ, with his back to the viewer as he enters into Limbo. It also shows Mantegna's interest in rock formations, which he studied from nature. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other number | 5 - Le Peintre-Graveur |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | DYCE.990 |
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| Record created | July 7, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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