Erotic Scene from I Modi (after Waldeck)

The monochromatic, sepia-toned print depicts two nude figures in a classical interior. The woman is on her hands and knees, facing left, with her hair styled in a braided updo. The man stands behind her, his hands gripping her waist as he engages in intercourse. Behind them is a draped, neoclassical daybed or chaise longue with a prominent tassel on a cushion. The rendering is sculptural, using fine shading to emphasize the musculature of both figures, presented in a style reminiscent of 16th-century Italian engravings.

This work is part of a 19th-century series by Waldeck inspired by 'I Modi', a notorious 16th-century collection of erotic engravings by Marcantonio Raimondi after designs by Giulio Romano, which were accompanied by sonnets by Pietro Aretino.