This print, entitled The Untangling of Chaos, or the Creation of the Four Elements, was printed in 1589 by Hendrik Goltzius. Hendrik was a printmaker and painter, who lived in the Middle Ages; although he was born in the Holy Roman Empire, he moved to Holland, where he died. This piece of art depicts Chaos creating the Earth and the four winds. Just like in the Latin text, Chaos seems to be creating order from the heap of everything, also like in the Latin text. The four winds circling Chaos represent the four winds of the story, or the four winds known to the Romans: Eurus, the East wind; Zepher, the West wind; Auster, the South wind; and Boreas, the North wind. Also seen in the print is Chaos mixing fire (the ring above) with coldness (the bottom ring that is not the ring of winds) to create the most habitable spot on Earth, Rome. In both upper-hand corners, we can see the sky, Ouranous, depicted with stars, the moon, and the sun. Between the sun and the forming earth, however there is empty space, refrencing the domain of Chaos, a vast, unending abyss. There is also a ring of fire around Chaos and the Earth whch represents
The art piece differs from the latin in that it would seem that Chaos is a male figure, while in the Latin, Chaos is described as a figure of no gender. This change of making Chaos an elderly, but strong looking figure is telling of the environment in which this was made, or the Middle Ages. Throughout the middle ages in Europe, the Dominant religion was Christianity, and it would seem that this print has some heavy Christian influences as Chaos seems to morph into God. This is a rather interesting parallel as the book of Genesis in the Bible is very similar to the beginning of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Both start with nothingness and one sole powerful figure creates everything.
The facial expression of Chaos seems to suggest that it is neither benevolent nor malevolent, it is just creating the world in a causal manner. The bodly language, billowing cloak and outstretched hands, however, add a certain all-powerful air to the piece, giving us the impression that for Chaos, nothing is impossible and forming the earth is as simple as drinking something is for us, easy.
The art piece differs from the latin in that it would seem that Chaos is a male figure, while in the Latin, Chaos is described as a figure of no gender. This change of making Chaos an elderly, but strong looking figure is telling of the environment in which this was made, or the Middle Ages. Throughout the middle ages in Europe, the Dominant religion was Christianity, and it would seem that this print has some heavy Christian influences as Chaos seems to morph into God. This is a rather interesting parallel as the book of Genesis in the Bible is very similar to the beginning of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Both start with nothingness and one sole powerful figure creates everything.
The facial expression of Chaos seems to suggest that it is neither benevolent nor malevolent, it is just creating the world in a causal manner. The bodly language, billowing cloak and outstretched hands, however, add a certain all-powerful air to the piece, giving us the impression that for Chaos, nothing is impossible and forming the earth is as simple as drinking something is for us, easy.