Achilles Dragging the Body of Hector

The strong diagonals and heroic male bodies in this print relay an episode from the Trojan War in which the Greek warrior Achilles takes vengeance on the Trojan prince Hector for murdering his friend Patroclus. Here, Achilles is depicted dragging Hector’s dead body behind a chariot outside the gates of Troy. Primarily a draftsman and printmaker, Pietro Testa was known for the remarkable effects of space, texture, and light he was able to achieve by immersing the copper plate in an acid bath in several stages. This method allowed for deeper etched lines, in such areas as the dark shadows that frame the two central figures, while retaining sketchier details in the background.