Rhea Sylvia, ca. 1517–1561
Engraving
Sheet dimensions14,9 × 10 cm
About the workAlthough the depiction of nudity flourished during the Renaissance, female and male sexual characteristics were usually covered by cloths, foliage or hands placed over the body parts. The pubic hair skilfully depicted in Heinrich Aldegrever's engraving is a rarity for this period. It portrays the king’s daughter Rhea Sylvia, who, according to myth, was the mother of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. Aldegrever was one of the most important Renaissance engravers and painters north of the Alps.
Accession
Acquired from the Hetjens museum 1928
Provenance[...]; 1928 übernommen aus dem Hetjens Museum, Düsseldorf
Inventory numberK 1928-509
