“This engraving captures a moment of intense mythological drama, as Cadmus confronts a fearsome dragon. It's a powerful early work by an artist who would later become a key figure in Dutch Caravaggism, showcasing a raw, expressive style.”
In this dramatic engraving, a monstrous dragon rears up, its powerful coils crushing and devouring the companions of Cadmus. The scene pulses with a raw energy, typical of the late 16th century, as figures are caught in moments of terror and struggle. One man, already in the dragon's jaws, flails desperately, while another, perhaps Cadmus himself, charges forward with a spear, his face contorted in a grimace of determination. The dense cross-hatching and deep shadows emphasize the dragon's scaly hide and the chaotic violence of the encounter, drawing the viewer into the mythical battle. The artist, Hendrick ter Brugghen, created this work in 1588, early in his career, before his significant travels to Italy and his later association with the Utrecht Caravaggisti.
- Artist
- Hendrick ter Brugghen
- Date
- 1588
- Medium
- Engraving of black in on Ivory laid paper
- Location
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Dimensions
- Image: 24 × 31.7 cm (9 1/2 × 12 1/2 in.); Plate: 25.1 × 32.1 cm (9 15/16 × 12 11/16 in.); Sheet: 30.2 × 37.3 cm (11 15/16 × 14 11/16 in.)
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.
The dragon's powerful, scaly body, coiled around its victims.
The terrified expressions on the faces of Cadmus's companions.
The dynamic pose of the hero Cadmus, poised to strike.
The intricate detail in the foliage and rocky landscape.
1 more detail is waiting.
See all 5 in Art Whisper →Hendrick ter Brugghen
1588–1629 · Dutch RepublicHendrick ter Brugghen brought Caravaggio's dramatic light and emotional realism from Italy to the Dutch Republic, profoundly shaping Dutch Golden Age painting.
Further Works by ter Brugghen
The Calling of Saint Matthew
1609 · Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
Pilate washing his hands
1617 · National Museum in Lublin
Roman Charity
1622 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Saint Jerome
1624 · Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
The Denial of Saint Peter
1621 · Art Institute of Chicago
A Boy Playing the Lute ("Hearing", One of a Series of the Five Senses)
1620 · Nationalmuseum
A Girl Holding a Glass ("Taste", One of a Series of the Five Senses)
1620 · Nationalmuseum
Boy Playing a Fife
1620 · Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister
More works to explore
Beyond ter Brugghen: works from the same years.
Same era · 1570s–1600s
Christ Healing the Blind
El Greco · 1585
Same era · 1570s–1600s
The Entombment of Christ
Caravaggio · 1600 · Pinacoteca Vaticana
Same era · 1570s–1600s
Penitent Magdalene
Titian · 1575
Same era · 1570s–1600s
Flower Arrangements
Artist Unknown - The Mercat Cross, Aberdeen · 1595 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1570s–1600s
The Lamentation with Saint Francis and Two Angels
Peter Paul Rubens · 1603 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1570s–1600s
Virgin and Child in a Church, also known as the Van Maelbeke Virgin
Wierix · 1575 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1570s–1600s
Wooded landscape with a road
Jan Brueghel the Elder · 1602
Same era · 1570s–1600s
Crucifixion with the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Evangelist, angels overhead
Matteo Florimi · 1588 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1570s–1600s
Half Armor for the Foot Tournament
Pompeo della Cesa · 1585 · Cleveland Museum of Art
Same era · 1570s–1600s
Female Head
Gaetano Gandolfi · 1592 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1570s–1600s
Flowers and Birds
Zhou Zhimian · 1595 · Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Same era · 1570s–1600s
The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne
Georges de La Tour · 1600 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art