A detailed seventeenth-century engraving by Guillaume Chasteau, depicting the dramatic rescue of the infant Pyrrhus after a painting by Nicolas Poussin.

This engraving by Guillaume Chasteau depicts the dramatic rescue of the infant Pyrrhus, a narrative drawn from Plutarch. Chasteau, a French engraver active in the seventeenth century, produced this work after the original painting by Nicolas Poussin. The composition captures a moment of high tension as the child is passed across a river to safety, away from the pursuing enemies of his father, Aeacides.

The scene is structured with the characteristic clarity of the French classical tradition. Figures are arranged in a frieze-like formation across the foreground, their gestures conveying urgency and alarm. To the left, men struggle to cross the water, while on the right, women and soldiers facilitate the transfer of the infant. The background features a rocky outcrop and a distant classical structure, providing a sense of geographical context. Chasteau employs a range of hatching techniques to define the musculature of the figures and the textures of the drapery, rocks, and foliage.

This print reflects the seventeenth-century practice of disseminating the compositions of master painters through reproductive engraving. By translating Poussin's oil painting into a monochrome medium, Chasteau focuses the viewer on the draughtsmanship and the narrative mechanics of the scene. The inclusion of Latin and French text at the base of the print identifies the subject matter and provides provenance, noting that the original painting was held in the royal collection. The work demonstrates the technical precision required to replicate the complex spatial arrangements and emotional intensity of Poussin's original vision. It remains a clear example of the collaborative relationship between painters and engravers during the period, ensuring that significant compositions reached a wider audience beyond the confines of private galleries.