s2e17 History of Prints Hendrick Goltzius

In s2ep17, Ann Shafer and Tru Ludwig talk about one of their favorite engravers of all time, Hendrick Goltzius. A Dutchman, Goltzius was preternaturally gifted with a burin and made glorious prints of all sorts. Ann's favorite is the Farnese Hercules, a large engraving showing two Dutchmen looking up at a giant sculpture of Hercules, which viewers see from behind. Quirky and wonderful, these prints are worth a deep dive.

In s2ep17, Ann Shafer and Tru Ludwig talk about one of their favorite engravers of all time, Hendrick Goltzius. A Dutchman, Goltzius was preternaturally gifted with a burin and made glorious prints of all sorts. Ann's favorite is the Farnese Hercules, a large engraving showing two Dutchmen looking up at a giant sculpture of Hercules, which viewers see from behind. Quirky and wonderful, these prints are worth a deep dive.

Episode image: Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). Farnese Hercules, 1617. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed to platemark): 16 9/16 x 11 15/16 in. (421 x 304 mm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). Goltzius’ Right Hand, 1588. Pen and brown ink. 9 x 12 5/8 in. (230 x 322 mm.) Teylers Museum, Haarlem.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). The Standard Bearer, Turned to Left, 1587. Engraving. sheet (trimmed to plate mark): 28.8 x 19.3 cm (11 5/16 x 7 5/8 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617), after Bartholomaeus Spranger (Netherlandish, 1546–1611). Judith with the Head of Holofernes, c. 1585. Engraving. Tondo: 6 11/16 in. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617), after Cornelis van Haarlem (Netherlandish, 1562–1638). The Dragon Devouring the Companions of Cadmus, 1588. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed to platemark): 9 15/16 x 12 1/2 in. (252 x 318 mm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). The Great Hercules, 1589. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed to platemark): 21 7/8 x 15 7/8 in. (555 x 404 mm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). After Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (Netherlandish, 1562–1638). Ixion, from the series The Four Disgracers, 1588. Engraving. Sheet: 13 5/8 x 13 7/16 in. (34.6 x 34.1 cm). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). After Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (Netherlandish, 1562–1638). Icarus, from the series The Four Disgracers, 1588. Engraving. Sheet: 13 7/16 x 13 1/4 in. (34.2 x 33.7 cm). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). After Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (Netherlandish, 1562–1638). Phaeton, from the series The Four Disgracers, 1588. Engraving. Sheet: 335 x 335 mm (13 3/16 x 13 3/16 in.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). After Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem (Netherlandish, 1562–1638). Tantalus, from the series The Four Disgracers, 1588. Engraving. Sheet: 13 1/4 x 13 1/4 in. (33.6 x 33.6 cm). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). The Judgment of Midas, 1590. Engraving. Plate: 421 x 670 mm. (16 9/16 x 26 3/8 in.); sheet: 430 x 679 mm. (16 15/16 x 26 3/4 in.). Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Marcantonio Raimondi (Italian, c. 1480–before 1534), after Raphael (Italian, 1483–1520). The Judgment of Paris, c. 1510–20. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed within platemark): 11 7/16 x 17 3/16 in. (291 x 437 mm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). Hercules Killing Cacus, 1588. Chiaroscuro woodcut. Sheet: 428 x 340 mm. (16 7/8 x 13 3/8 in.). Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). The Circumcision, from the series The Birth and Early Life of Christ, 1594. Engraving. Plate: 18 1/4 x 13 13/16 in. (464 x 351 mm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528). The Circumcision, from the series The Life of the Virgin, c. 1504. Woodcut. Sheet: 17 3/16 x 11 15/16 in. (437 x 303 mm.); image: 11 11/16 x 8 1/8 in. (297 x 206 mm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). Farnese Hercules, 1617. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed to platemark): 16 9/16 x 11 15/16 in. (421 x 304 mm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). Pietà, 1596. Engraving. Sheet: 7 1/8 x 5 3/16 in. (181 x 131 mm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

James Siena (American, born 1957). No Man’s Land, 2004. Engraving on chine collé. Sheet: 437 x 379 mm. (17 3/16 x 14 15/16 in.); plate: 280 x 222 mm. (11 x 8 ¾ in.). Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore.

Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). Without Ceres and Bacchus, Venus Would Freeze, c. 1600–03. Ink and oil on canvas. 41 3/8 × 31 1/2 in. (105.1 × 80 cm.). Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia.

Platemark is produced by Ann Shafer
Theme music: Michael Diamond
Audio mixing: Dan Fury, Extension Audio
PR and Marketing: Elizabeth Berger, EYB Creates