Poliphilo's Strife of Love in a Dream

Translator's note: There is significant ink bleed-through from the reverse side of the page, which creates ghostly mirrored text across the image.

A large, detailed woodcut illustration depicts a sacrificial ceremony in honor of the god Priapus.

In the center of the scene, a statue of Priapus stands on a square pedestal. He is shown with a prominent erect phallus, a symbol of fertility. He holds a pruning hook in his right hand and a shallow bowl for liquid offerings in his left. The statue is sheltered by a thick, dome-like arbor made of leaves and vines. Inside this canopy hang several oil lamps along with fruits and vegetables, such as long gourds. Two columns made of tied greenery stand on either side of the arbor, each supporting a flaming torch.

A large crowd of men and women surrounds the shrine. Most of the women wear flowing, classical dresses. They are shown in the middle of a festive celebration. Some play instruments like long trumpets, flutes, and tambourines. Others carry torches or branches of laurel or olive. In the front of the scene, the sacrifice of a donkey is taking place. The animal lies on the ground wearing garlands of leaves. One woman holds the animal's head while another kneels to catch the blood in a large basin. Ritual tools, including a long knife and a scoop, lie on the ground in the bottom right corner. The entire scene is framed by a simple rectangular border, typical of Venetian printing from the late 1400s.