Cyparissus Changed into a Cypress Tree - Antonio Tempesta

An evocative 1606 etching by Antonio Tempesta illustrating the Ovidian myth of Cyparissus and his transformation into a cypress tree.

This etching by Antonio Tempesta depicts the tragic Ovidian myth of Cyparissus, a youth who accidentally killed his beloved pet stag. Overcome by grief, he begged the gods for eternal mourning, leading Apollo to transform him into a cypress tree. Tempesta, a prolific printmaker of the Roman Baroque period, captures the narrative moment with characteristic precision. Apollo stands to the left, holding his lyre, while Cyparissus occupies the centre, his form beginning to merge with the foliage as he undergoes his metamorphosis. To the right, the fallen stag lies on the ground, pierced by an arrow, providing the catalyst for the transformation.

Tempesta utilised a clear, linear etching style that prioritises narrative clarity over atmospheric depth. The figures are rendered with defined musculature and expressive gestures, typical of his training in the Florentine tradition. The background features a stylised forest setting, executed with rhythmic hatching that creates texture without obscuring the primary subjects. This work belongs to a larger series illustrating Ovid's Metamorphoses, a project that demonstrated Tempesta's ability to condense complex classical narratives into single, readable compositions. The plate is numbered 93, reflecting its place within a comprehensive visual catalogue of mythological tales. The Latin inscription at the base, Cyparissus ab Apolline in arborem commutatur, provides the necessary context for the viewer, identifying the figures and the specific action occurring within the frame. This print offers a glimpse into the seventeenth-century fascination with classical literature and the technical proficiency of Italian printmaking during the period.