I modi, Plate 15

The scene depicts a couple in a state of coitus. The man, bearded and muscular, is positioned over the woman, his arms supporting his weight as he kisses her. The woman, whose hair is styled in elaborate braids, rests on her back with one leg raised and her hands positioned near her hips. They are situated on a mattress draped in fabric with fringed edges, set beneath an ornate, voluminous curtain canopy. The image is rendered in a monochromatic grey wash style, highlighting the musculature and physical interaction of the figures.

This work is a 19th-century recreation of the lost 'I modi' series, a set of erotic engravings designed by Giulio Romano and engraved by Marcantonio Raimondi that caused a major scandal in 1524 Rome. The original series, accompanied by sonnets by Pietro Aretino, represented a subversion of classical motifs to depict sexual positions, reflecting the libertine undercurrents of the Italian Renaissance.