Hendrick Goltzius  

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-[[Image:The Dragon Slaying the Companions of Cadmus (1588) - Hendrick Goltzius.jpg|thumb|200px|''[[The Dragon Slaying the Companions of Cadmus]]'' [[1588]] by [[Goltzius]]]]+[[Image:The Dragon Slaying the Companions of Cadmus (1588) - Hendrick Goltzius.jpg|thumb|200px|''[[The Dragon Slaying the Companions of Cadmus]]'' [[1588]] by [[Hendrik Goltzius]], after a painting of [[Cornelis van Haarlem]]]]{{Template}}
-{{Template}}+'''Hendrik Goltzius''' ([[1558]] - [[January 1]], [[1617]]), [[Dutch printmaker]], [[drawing|draftsman]], and [[painter]], was born at Millebrecht, in the [[duchy of Julich]]. He was a leading [[engraver]] of the early [[Baroque]] and [[Northern Mannerism]], noted for the [[grotesque]]ness and [[extravagance]] of his homoerotic prints as the ''[[Farnese Hercules]]'', ''[[The Dragon Slaying the Companions of Cadmus]]'' and the ''[[The Four Disgracers]]'', all showing a remarkably pronounced [[musculature]].
-'''Hendrik Goltzius''' ([[1558]] - [[January 1]], [[1617]]), [[Dutch printmaker]], [[drawing|draftsman]], and [[painter]], was born at Millebrecht, in the [[duchy of Julich]]. He was a leading [[engraver]] of the early [[Baroque]] and [[Northern Mannerism]], noted for the [[grotesque]]ness and [[extravagance]] of his homoerotic prints as the ''[[Farnese Hercules]]'', ''[[The Dragon Slaying the Companions of Cadmus]]'' and the ''[[The Four Disgracets]]'', all showing a remarkably pronounced [[musculature]].+==Personal history==
-==Career==+Goltzius was born near [[Venlo]] in ''Bracht'' or ''Millebrecht'', a village then in the [[Duchy of Julich]], now in the municipality [[Brüggen]] in [[North Rhine-Westphalia]]. His family moved to [[Duisburg]] when he was 3 years old. After studying painting on glass for some years under his father, he learned engraving from the Dutch polymath [[Dirck Volkertszoon Coornhert]], who then lived in [[Cleves]]. In 1577 he moved with Coornhert to Haarlem. In the same town, he was also employed by [[Philip Galle]] to engrave a set of prints of the history of [[Lucretia]].
-After studying painting on glass for some years under his father, he was taught the use of the [[burin]] by Dirk Volkertszoon Coornhert, a Dutch engraver of mediocre attainment, whom he soon surpassed, but who retained his services for his own advantage. He was also employed by [[Philip Galle]] to engrave a set of prints of the history of [[Lucretia]].+
-At the age of 21 he married a widow somewhat advanced in years, whose money enabled him to establish at [[Haarlem]] an independent business; but his unpleasant relations with her so affected his health that he found it advisable in 1590 to make a tour through [[Germany]] to [[Italy]], where he acquired an intense admiration for the works of [[Michelangelo]], which led him to surpass that master in the grotesqueness and extravagance of his designs. He returned to Haarlem considerably improved in health, and laboured there at his art till his death.+Goltzius had a malformed right hand from a fire when he was a baby (of which he made a drawing), which turned out to be especially well-suited to holding the [[burin]].
-Goltzius ought not to be judged chiefly by the works he valued most, his eccentric imitations of Michelangelo. His portraits, though mostly miniatures, are masterpieces of their kind, both on account of their exquisite finish, and as fine studies of individual character. Of his larger heads, the life-size portrait of himself is probably the most striking example. His masterpieces, so called from their being attempts to imitate the style of the old masters, have perhaps been overpraised.+At the age of 21 he married a widow somewhat advanced in years, whose money enabled him to establish at Haarlem an independent business; but his unpleasant relations with her so affected his health that he found it advisable in 1590 to make the [[Grand Tour]] through [[Germany]] to [[Italy]], where he acquired an intense admiration for the works of [[Michelangelo]], which led him to emulate that master in the grotesqueness and extravagance of his designs. He returned to Haarlem in August 1591, considerably improved in health, and laboured there at his art till his death.
 + 
 +His portraits, though mostly miniatures, are masterpieces of their kind, both on account of their exquisite finish, and as fine studies of individual character. Of his larger heads, the life-size portrait of himself is probably the most striking example. His masterpieces, so called from their being attempts to imitate the style of the old masters, have perhaps been overpraised.
Goltzius brought to an unprecedented level the use of the "swelling line", where the burin is manipulated to make lines thicker or thinner to create a tonal effect from a distance. He also was a pioneer of "[[dot and lozenge]]" technique, where dots are placed in the middle of lozenge shaped spaces created by cross-hatching to further refine tonal shading. Goltzius brought to an unprecedented level the use of the "swelling line", where the burin is manipulated to make lines thicker or thinner to create a tonal effect from a distance. He also was a pioneer of "[[dot and lozenge]]" technique, where dots are placed in the middle of lozenge shaped spaces created by cross-hatching to further refine tonal shading.
-[[Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Hollstein]] credits 388 prints to him, with a further 574 by other printmakers after his designs. +In his command of the burin Goltzius is said to rival that of [[Albrecht Dürer|Dürer]]'s. He made engravings of [[Bartholomeus Spranger]]'s paintings, thus increasing the fame of the latter - and his own. Goltzius began painting at the age of forty-two; some of his paintings can be found in Vienna. He also executed a few [[chiaroscuro woodcut]]s. He was the stepfather of engraver [[Jacob Matham]].
- + 
-In his command of the burin Goltzius is not surpassed even by [[Albrecht Dürer|Dürer]]; but his technical skill is not equally aided by higher artistic qualities. Even, however, his eccentricities and extravagances are greatly counterbalanced by the beauty and freedom of his execution. He made engravings of [[Bartholomeus Spranger]]'s paintings, thus increasing the fame of the latter - and his own. Goltzius began painting at the age of forty-two, but none of his works in this branch of art--some of which are in the imperial collection at Vienna--display any special excellences. He also executed a few pieces in [[chiaroscuro]].+== See also ==
 +*''[[Lot and His Daughters (Goltzius)]]'' ([[Rijksmuseum Amsterdam]]) shows [[Lot (biblical)|Lot]] being seduced by his two daughters. [[Sodom and Gomorrah]] are shown burning in the background, with Lot's wife who had turned into a pillar of [[salt]], in front.
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Hendrik Goltzius (1558 - January 1, 1617), Dutch printmaker, draftsman, and painter, was born at Millebrecht, in the duchy of Julich. He was a leading engraver of the early Baroque and Northern Mannerism, noted for the grotesqueness and extravagance of his homoerotic prints as the Farnese Hercules, The Dragon Slaying the Companions of Cadmus and the The Four Disgracers, all showing a remarkably pronounced musculature.

Personal history

Goltzius was born near Venlo in Bracht or Millebrecht, a village then in the Duchy of Julich, now in the municipality Brüggen in North Rhine-Westphalia. His family moved to Duisburg when he was 3 years old. After studying painting on glass for some years under his father, he learned engraving from the Dutch polymath Dirck Volkertszoon Coornhert, who then lived in Cleves. In 1577 he moved with Coornhert to Haarlem. In the same town, he was also employed by Philip Galle to engrave a set of prints of the history of Lucretia.

Goltzius had a malformed right hand from a fire when he was a baby (of which he made a drawing), which turned out to be especially well-suited to holding the burin.

At the age of 21 he married a widow somewhat advanced in years, whose money enabled him to establish at Haarlem an independent business; but his unpleasant relations with her so affected his health that he found it advisable in 1590 to make the Grand Tour through Germany to Italy, where he acquired an intense admiration for the works of Michelangelo, which led him to emulate that master in the grotesqueness and extravagance of his designs. He returned to Haarlem in August 1591, considerably improved in health, and laboured there at his art till his death.

His portraits, though mostly miniatures, are masterpieces of their kind, both on account of their exquisite finish, and as fine studies of individual character. Of his larger heads, the life-size portrait of himself is probably the most striking example. His masterpieces, so called from their being attempts to imitate the style of the old masters, have perhaps been overpraised.

Goltzius brought to an unprecedented level the use of the "swelling line", where the burin is manipulated to make lines thicker or thinner to create a tonal effect from a distance. He also was a pioneer of "dot and lozenge" technique, where dots are placed in the middle of lozenge shaped spaces created by cross-hatching to further refine tonal shading.

In his command of the burin Goltzius is said to rival that of Dürer's. He made engravings of Bartholomeus Spranger's paintings, thus increasing the fame of the latter - and his own. Goltzius began painting at the age of forty-two; some of his paintings can be found in Vienna. He also executed a few chiaroscuro woodcuts. He was the stepfather of engraver Jacob Matham.

See also




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