Marine Deities

The painting is reminiscent of work by the Flemish mannerist Frans Floris (1519/20-1570), specifically in the languorous draping of the figures and the way in which they the composition and press against the picture plane. The distinctive warmth of the painting sets it apart from the cool eroticism associated with Floris and his circle. Classical gods and goddesses were staple subject matter of the School, though the subject of this picture cannot be identified with any classical mythology. With its evident sensuality, and lack of intellectual pretension, the painting is an unsophisticated rendering of an aristocratic style.