Four Women Dancing

"Four Women Dancing" Zoan Andrea, Late 15th century, Engraving

The composition of the four Charites (Graces) was engraved by Zoan Andrea, a follower of Italian Renaissance painter Andrea Mantegna. Mantegna himself was inspired by Roman archaeology, hence the heavily sculptured appearance of this engraving. The multiple perspectives of the female, designed to imitate a 3-D sculpture, shows the influence of classical Greek and Roman sculpture on fifteenth century depictions of the female body. Mantegna’s subjects are highly idealized feminine bodies, and represent traditionally feminine mythological values like nature, fertility, and beauty. This engraving was clearly intended for the male gaze, depicting women as objects of male desire.