Rape of a Sabine Woman
This monumental print reproduces Giambologna’s famous Florentine sculpture 'Rape of the Sabine Woman'. In his highly original configuration of contorted and intertwined bodies, Giambologna achieved the suggestion of dramatic movement and force—aspects that made the artwork an icon of Renaissance sculpture. To capture its three-dimensional quality, the printmaker Andreani made three different woodcuts after Giambologna’s masterpiece, each depicting the sculpture from a different angle. The technique of chiaroscuro woodcut allowed the printmaker to suggest volume, using three woodblocks; one to render the contour lines, and the others to achieve convincing modulation of the bodies and background.
Artwork Details
- Title: Rape of a Sabine Woman
- Artist: Andrea Andreani (Italian, Mantua 1558/1559–1629)
- Artist: After Giambologna (Netherlandish, Douai 1529–1608 Florence)
- Date: 1584
- Medium: Chiaroscuro woodcut from three blocks in gray-brown
- Dimensions: Sheet: 17 3/16 × 7 15/16 in. (43.7 × 20.2 cm)
- Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1922
- Object Number: 22.73.3-70
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
More Artwork
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Free to download
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.