Ovid's Metamorphoses has remained one of the most recognisable works of mythology since it was written two thousand years ago. It is a comprehensive collection of stories from Roman mythology, many of them adapted from Greek originals, from the creation of the world to through to the deification of Julius Caesar in 42BC. Its popularity continued through the medieval period and into the Renaissance and beyond, influencing authors such as Geoffrey Chaucer, Dante Alighieri and William Shakespeare. Illustrated editions, published from 1497 onwards, established a standard repertoire of compositions for the depiction of many myths. The engravings to this Italian edition, printed in Venice by Bernardo Giunti, were produced by Giacomo Franco (1550-1620), son of Battista Franco.