Artwork
Jan Gossaert. Danaë
Jan Gossaert. Danaë is an unspecified painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Jan Gossaert. It dates from 1527 and is held in the collection of the Catholic University of Leuven.
About this work
Overview
Jan Gossaert's Danaë is a Northern Renaissance painting created around 1527. It is an oil on panel work currently housed at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, Germany.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts Danaë, a figure from mythology, receiving a shower of gold coins while reclining on a sumptuous bed. The scene is based on the mythological tale of Danaë, who was visited by Zeus in the form of gold while imprisoned.
Technique & Style
Gossaert's use of chiaroscuro, a technique that employs strong contrasts between light and dark, is notable in this work. The painting showcases the artist's skill with oil on panel and exemplifies the characteristics of Northern Renaissance art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Gossaert (c. 1478 – 1 October 1532) was a French-speaking painter from the Low Countries also known as Jan Mabuse (the name he adopted from his birthplace, Maubeuge) or Jennyn van Hennegouwe (Hainaut), as he called…
