Artwork
Venus + mirror
Venus + mirror is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Hans Baldung Grien. It dates from 1524 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Venus + mirror is a 1524 painting by German artist Hans Baldung Grien, blending German Renaissance techniques with Mannerist elements, characterized by vivid color and imaginative detail.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a contemplative nude Venus holding a circular mirror, a recurring motif in Baldung's allegorical and mythological works, symbolizing self-reflection and introspection.
Technique & Style
Baldung, trained under Albrecht Dürer, employs a distinctive style in this work, featuring a nude figure set against a simple background, with a circular mirror adding depth, and the subject's pose and gaze conveying quiet contemplation.
History & Provenance
Created in 1524, the painting's early Baroque style reflects Baldung's eclectic output across painting, printmaking, and stained glass, though specific provenance details are not provided.
Context
As a German artist working in an era influenced by Italian Renaissance and emerging Mannerist trends, Baldung's Venus + mirror reflects a blend of northern European attention to detail with southern European thematic inspirations.
Artist & collection
Artist
Hans Baldung (1484 or 1485 – September 1545), called Hans Baldung Grien, (being an early nickname, because of his predilection for the colour green), was a painter, printer, engraver, draftsman, and stained glass…
