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The image depicts a person standing in a forest. The person is holding a bow, with one hand on their hip. Their face has defined features, their eyes looking to the side, with a neutral expression on their lips. The person has curly, close-cropped hair, and is wearing draped clothing across one shoulder, revealing most of their torso and legs. There is a quiver of arrows on their back. The background shows dense foliage, and behind the person is a large, coiled dragon or mythical creature with a reptilian skull visible.
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The image depicts a person standing in a forest. The person is holding a bow, with one hand on their hip. Their face has defined features, their eyes looking to the side, with a neutral expression on their lips. The person has curly, close-cropped hair, and is wearing draped clothing across one shoulder, revealing most of their torso and legs. There is a quiver of arrows on their back. The background shows dense foliage, and behind the person is a large, coiled dragon or mythical creature with a reptilian skull visible.

National Gallery of Art · Print

Apollo with a Bow and Dragon

Salomon Gessner

Date
1771
Medium
etching on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 21.9 x 16.4 cm (8 5/8 x 6 7/16 in.) sheet: 27.9 x 38.4 cm (11 x 15 1/8 in.)
Classification
Print
Accession number
1999.100.12
Credit line
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Time span
1751 to 1775
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Portfolio and series

Series
Idyllic Landscapes with Mythological Figures, plate 8

Subjects and terms

  • Swiss
  • Dragon
  • Forest
  • Weapons
  • Male nude
Provenance

(Christopher Mendez, London); purchased 1999 by NGA.

Inscription

lower left in plate: S. Gessner inv et f. 1771.; lower right: 8.; by later hand, upper right in graphite: (27/10p)

NGA object ID 111486. 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.