Narcissus at the Spring

Following the sack of the Rome by mutinous troops of Charles V in 1527, Parmigianino moved to Bologna where he met printmakers Ugo da Carpi and Antonio da Trento, who collaborated with Parmigianino to reproduce the artist’s drawings as chiaroscuro woodcuts. Traditionally titled “Narcissus at the Spring,” but also known as “Nude Youth Seen from Behind,” this chiaroscuro woodcut by Antonio reproduces one of Parmigianino’s designs. Seated in a deep wood and facing away from the viewer, the nude male figure has been interpreted as Narcissus from ancient Greek mythology. In accord with this reading, the female figure in the lower left corner of the composition, which resembles a sculpture bust but originates ambiguously from a dense network of lines, represents Echo, Narcissus’ forlorn lover.