Demogorgon in the Cave of Eternity

Hendrick Goltzius

c. 1588

Chiaroscuro woodcut

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A muscular, bearded figure sits in a cave, holding a spear and looking towards a circular mirror. Another figure is visible in a smaller oval scene to the right. Once known as the Magician, the subject of this woodcut has been identified as the Cave of Eternity. The central figure depicts Demogorgon or Chaos, the father of all gods, who transforms the unformed universe into the world as we know it. To the left is a snake biting its tail, symbolizing continuity or eternity. To the right is a sphere containing Diane of Ephesus, who sprays plants and animals into the air, symbolizing nature. This woodcut was printed from three separate blocks, one line block in black ink and two tone blocks in color to form a type of color woodcut known as a chiaroscuro woodcut. Taken from the Italian, the term