Hendrick Goltzius, born in 1558, was a Dutch painter, draftsman, and printmaker. Goltzius was a leader in the Mannerist movement of engravers in the Northern Netherlands.
Goltzius was born into an artistic family. Both his grandfather and great-grandfather were painters, and his father was a painter of stained glass. He was taught stained glass painting by his father before he learned to engrave on copper plates.
When Goltzius was a baby he was involved in a fire that left him with a deformed hand. This ended up being a blessing in disguise, as the deformity ended up being perfect for holding a burin, a tool used to make fine engravings. He had to learn how to use the large muscles of his arms and shoulders with precision, which may have contributed to his talent in engraving.
His miniature portraits are some of the most impressive engravings in Goltzius’ body of work. The evident genius is two-fold; in the finish that the artist achieved with his technique and the accuracy with which he could depict the finer details of his subjects’ appearance. One of the best examples of his talent is a life-sized self-portrait.
In 1579, Goltzius married a rich widow, which gave him the financial freedom to start his own business in Haarlem, where he stayed for the rest of his days.
Between 1585 and 1590, Goltzius focused on doing engravings mostly for Bartholomeus Spranger, which brought both the artists increased fame and recognition. In 1590, Goltzius decided that a tour of Germany and Italy was in order following a period of difficulty in his marriage.
During this tour, he was greatly inspired by the work of Michelangelo. He returned to Haarlem in 1591 in much better spirits. This was to be the last and only time he left Haarlem until his death in 1617.
1. Publius Horatius
‘Publius Horatius‘ was created in 1586 by Hendrick Goltzius in Mannerism (Late Renaissance) style.
2. Titus Manlius
‘Titus Manlius‘ was created in 1586 by Hendrick Goltzius in Mannerism (Late Renaissance) style.
3. Apollo
‘Apollo’ was created in the year 1588 by Hendrick Goltzius in Mannerism (Late Renaissance) style.
4. Phaeton
‘Phaeton‘ was created in 1588 by Hendrick Goltzius in Mannerism (Late Renaissance) style.
5. Icarus
‘Icarus‘ was created in 1588 by Hendrick Goltzius in Mannerism (Late Renaissance) style.
6. The Artist’s Right Hand
‘The Artist’s Right Hand‘ was created in 1588 by Hendrick Goltzius in Mannerism (Late Renaissance) style
7. Ixion
‘Ixion‘ was created in 1588 by Hendrick Goltzius in Mannerism (Late Renaissance) style.
8. Helios
‘Helios‘ was created in c.1589 by Hendrick Goltzius in Mannerism (Late Renaissance) style.
