Angelica and Medoro

The literary source for this print is Ludovico Ariosto’s epic Renaissance poem Orlando Furioso, which recounts the struggles between the Saracens and Christians at the time of Charlemagne. Angelica, the beautiful and rebellious Queen of Cathay, defies the court and marries the Saracen hero, Medoro, inciting war. The lovers are shown pledging their union by inscribing their names on the trees. This and a companion print of Venus and Adonis are based on drawings by Ghisi’s younger brother, Teodoro, a painter and naturalist, hence the detailed attention to the variety of foliage surrounding the couple. Angelica’s dramatically contorted pose is a hallmark of the mannerist style.