Juno Commands Famine to Afflict Erysichthon - Giulio Bonasone

A detailed Renaissance engraving by Giulio Bonasone depicting the mythological scene of Juno commanding Famine to afflict Erysichthon.

This engraving by Giulio Bonasone depicts a scene from Ovid's Metamorphoses, specifically the myth of Erysichthon. In the central panel, the goddess Juno stands beside her peacock, gesturing towards the gaunt, hunched figure of Famine, who is shown in the act of infecting Erysichthon with insatiable hunger. The composition is framed by a decorative border featuring herms and floral motifs, a common stylistic device in sixteenth-century Italian printmaking.

Bonasone, a Bolognese artist, was known for his technical skill in engraving and his ability to translate complex mythological narratives into accessible visual formats. The work includes an Italian inscription at the base, which provides a summary of the narrative action, explaining how Juno, angered by Erysichthon's impiety, seeks vengeance through the personification of hunger. The figures are rendered with the anatomical focus typical of the period, reflecting the influence of contemporary Mannerist trends.

The print demonstrates the precision of Bonasone's burin work, particularly in the cross-hatching used to create volume in the figures and depth in the background. The decorative frame serves to contain the narrative, separating the mythological event from the viewer's space. This piece is a representative example of the print culture that circulated classical literature and humanist themes among the educated classes of the Renaissance. The clarity of the line work and the balanced arrangement of the figures within the frame demonstrate the artist's command over the medium of engraving, which allowed for the wide dissemination of such complex allegorical subjects across Europe.