
Read the visual description
This is a drawing of a mythical battle scene among sea creatures. Two dominant figures stand amidst tumultuous waves. Each possesses the body of a human with strong, muscular features, but also the tail of a fish, characteristic of merfolk. One figure, on the left, is captured mid-action with a weapon raised above its head. The figure on the right holds a shield with a fierce expression, ready for defense as water splashes around them. To the right, another similar creature looks on. The scene is set against a backdrop of tall, waving reeds and a few birds can be seen flying above. The detailed linework creates a sense of movement and intensity within the composition.
National Gallery of Art · Print
Battling Tritons
Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietrich
- Date
- 1763
- Medium
- etching on wove paper
- Dimensions
- plate: 8.4 x 15 cm (3 5/16 x 5 7/8 in.) sheet: 9.7 x 16.2 cm (3 13/16 x 6 3/8 in.)
- Classification
- Accession number
- 1997.132.1
- Credit line
- Gift of John O'Brien
- Time span
- 1751 to 1775
- Department
- CG-E
Subjects and terms
- etching
- German
- mythology
- Triton
Provenance
John O'Brien, New Haven, CT; gift to NGA, 1997.
Inscription
lower right in plate: Dietri[ej]
NGA object ID 102482. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.