Cadmus Slaying the Dragon

This print is based on a preparatory drawing by the Italian Mannerist artist Francesco Primaticcio for the decoration of the French royal palace at Fontainebleau near Paris, commissioned by King Francis I. The gray tone and granulated lines are intended to simulate the original study done in pen and ink on toned paper. Cadmus, depicted here, was the legendary founder of Thebes, one of the great cities of ancient Greece. The original site was guarded by a dragon, which Cadmus slew. Cadmus then sowed the surrounding area with the dragon's teeth, which produced armed men, who began fighting each other. Only five survived, and they, with Cadmus, became the founders of the city.