A detailed 17th-century etching by Johann Wilhelm Baur depicting the mythological transformation of Cyparissus into a cypress tree.

This etching by Johann Wilhelm Baur depicts a tragic episode from Ovid's Metamorphoses. The narrative centres on the youth Cyparissus, who accidentally kills his beloved pet stag. Overcome by grief, he begs the gods for eternal mourning. Apollo, shown on the right emerging from clouds, grants this wish by transforming the boy into a cypress tree, a symbol of mourning in classical antiquity.

Baur employs a precise, calligraphic line to define the forms within the composition. The etching captures the precise moment of metamorphosis, with the figure of Cyparissus already merging into the trunk and branches of the tree. The stag lies lifeless in the foreground, its form rendered with anatomical clarity. The background features a rolling, wooded terrain typical of the period's interest in classical settings. The artist uses varied hatching techniques to suggest depth and texture, from the soft, billowing clouds surrounding Apollo to the rough bark of the emerging cypress.

Johann Wilhelm Baur was a German printmaker and painter known for his small-scale, highly detailed works. His approach to mythological subjects often combined classical themes with the dramatic sensibilities of the Baroque era. This print is part of a series illustrating Ovid, demonstrating Baur's ability to condense complex narrative sequences into a single, coherent image. The work reflects the seventeenth-century fascination with classical literature and the visual interpretation of ancient myths. The composition balances the human figure, the animal, and the divine presence of Apollo, creating a scene that is both melancholic and technically refined. The print remains a clear example of the illustrative printmaking traditions that circulated throughout Europe during the early modern period, providing viewers with accessible yet sophisticated interpretations of canonical texts.