Hendrik Goltzius: 8 works

'The engraving after this drawing, Goltzius's largest and most complex in Spranger's style, helped to secure his reputation on its publication in 1585. The inscription on the engraving, HGoltzius invenit sculpsit et divulgavit, confirms that Goltzius acted as designer, engraver, and publisher for the print.'

'Like his illustrious predecessors Albrecht Dürer and Lucas van Leyden, Goltzius expressed his artistic ambitions in scenes from the Bible, but he also illustrated episodes from classical mythology, often choosing erotic subjects. This engraving of the giant Hercules Farnese (presently in the Naples Museum) is based on a statue Goltzius saw in Italy.'

'Together with the Flemish artist Bartholomäus Spranger and his Mannerist figure ideal, Goltzius introduced his elegant style into Dutch art. Besides Jacob Matham, he promoted, among others, Jan Saenredam, who reproduced these highly finished drawings of the three goddesses by his teacher in an exquisite suite of copper engravings, which give them in reverse.'

'Goltzius worked in Haarlem from 1575 and around 1590--1 studied Renaissance and Ancient Roman art in Italy. Together with the Flemish artist Bartholomäus Spranger and his Mannerist figure ideal, Goltzius introduced his elegant style into Dutch art.'

'Out of the many episodes of this Story, Goltzius has chosen the moment that is ideally suited to depicting lots of female nudity.'

'The famous Haarlem based painter and engraver Hendrick Goltzius has painted an informal portrait of his friend, the textile merchant Jan Govertsen van der Aar.'

'The grand scale of the image as well as the broad handling of the chalk are characteristic of Hendrick Goltzius's tendency to explore concerns more usually associated with painting in his later drawings. The figure in this drawing closely resembles the Archangel Gabriel in Goltzius's painting in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow; like this drawing, the painting is signed and dated 1609.'

'Goltzius painted the Minerva and Mercury in 1611; the Hercules and Cacus followed in 1613, and may well have been commissioned by the Haarlem lawyer and town councillor Johan Colterman (c. 1565-1616), who probably had his 22-year-old son Johan Colterman Junior model for the young, powerful figure of Hercules.'