Erysichthon and the Sacred Oak in Ovid’s Metamorphoses

Description

Ceres punishing Erysichthon engraving illustrates a dramatic episode from Ovid’s Metamorphoses. The scene shows Erysichthon attacking a sacred tree while Ceres approaches in a chariot among the clouds. The old spelling “Eresichthon” appears in the engraved caption beneath the image. A signature reading “Matheus f.” is visible at the lower left.

In Ovid’s story, Erysichthon cuts down an oak in a grove sacred to Ceres. The tree is associated with the goddess and its destruction is a grave act of impiety. Ceres responds by condemning him to an insatiable hunger. No amount of food can satisfy him. This engraving brings together the act that provokes the goddess and the supernatural punishment that follows.

The composition is arranged across several levels. At the right, a man raises an axe against the tree. In the clouds above, Ceres arrives in a chariot drawn by fantastic serpent-like creatures. Below and to the left, a gaunt figure reaches towards the goddess. The contrasting scale of the figures, the movement of the chariot and the turbulent clouds give the image a strong narrative rhythm. The print is intended to be read as a mythological episode rather than as a single frozen moment.

This Ceres punishing Erysichthon engraving is catalogued by the Bibliothèque nationale de France among the illustrations for Ovid’s Metamorphoses. The BnF record connects the image with the French edition published in Paris by the widow Langelier in 1619 and attributes the engravings to Jean Mathieu. A related record in the Wellcome Collection also identifies the subject as Ceres punishing Erysichthon and dates an engraving of the composition to 1619. The date circa 1620 is therefore consistent with the bibliographic references. BnF- Bibliothèque nationale de France

The reverse carries printed text in old French. The visible passage recounts the episode of the sacred tree and Erysichthon’s defiance. The text on the back is closely connected with the image on the front, preserving part of the narrative that accompanied the illustration in its original book context. The aged spelling and typography are characteristic details of an early printed page.

The sheet measures approximately 16.5 × 13.3 cm. The engraved image measures approximately 13.9 × 11.3 cm. The print has an aged appearance, with small marks visible in the photographs. Please consult the photographs of both sides for the paper, image, signature, caption and reverse text. The sheet is offered unframed.

This antique engraving will interest collectors of Ovid, Ceres, classical mythology, early European prints and illustrated books. Its compact format makes it suitable for a framed display, a print cabinet or a collection focused on mythological subjects. The subject combines the sacred oak, divine retribution and the story of Erysichthon’s punishment in a single dramatic composition.

The engraved caption preserves the name in its historical spelling, while the visible signature provides an additional detail for study. The reverse text helps relate the image to the literary passage and to its original printed setting. Together, these features give the sheet both visual and bibliographic interest.

A striking early seventeenth-century image of a mythological punishment, this Ceres punishing Erysichthon engraving brings an episode from Ovid’s poem to life through its energetic figures, elaborate chariot and turbulent sky. It is a distinctive addition to a collection of antique prints or classical book illustrations.