The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 28, 2024

The Death of Procris

The Death of Procris

c. 1540
(Italian, 1520–1582)
(Italian, 1492/99–1546)
Sheet: 40.4 x 57.5 cm (15 7/8 x 22 5/8 in.); Platemark: 39.7 x 57.2 cm (15 5/8 x 22 1/2 in.)
Catalogue raisonné: Lewis&Boorsch 5
Location: not on view

Description

In the complicated tale of Procris and Cephalus, told by the poet Ovid (43 BC–AD 17), jealousy tragically thwarts their true love and fidelity. Fearing that Cephalus loves a nymph, Procris spies on her husband while he is hunting. When Cephalus hears Procris rustling in the woods, he mistakes her for game and throws his magical spear that never misses its mark. In this print, the chorus of expressive satyrs and nymphs mourning her death highlights the heartbreaking drama of this love story. Romano’s intricate composition also includes Aurora, the goddess of dawn, in her chariot, and distant buildings that refer to the couple’s home in Athens.
  • Viti-Antaldi (16th-19th centuries)?, Urbino and Pesaro, script (Lugt 2246), lower left, in pen and brown ink [script very similar, but not exactly like Lugt]; unknown collector, Australia
  • Gods and Heroes: Ancient Legends in Renaissance Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 26-December 31, 2017).
    Mannerism: Italian, French, and Netherlandish Prints, 1520-1620. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (August 3-October 26, 1997).
  • {{cite web|title=The Death of Procris|url=false|author=Giorgio Ghisi, Giulio Romano|year=c. 1540|access-date=28 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1985.171