Landscape with Venus and Adonis

The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Landscape with Venus and Adonis as painting (Netherlands, 16th century · 1580s).

WHY IT’S INTERESTING

Venus, the goddess of love, is unsuccessful in dissuading her mortal lover Adonis from hunting the boar that would eventually kill him. The artist nestles this story in the foreground of an expansive view with Germanic architecture, rather than a classical setting.

SERENDIPITYA little unexpected

FamiliarWeird

A CLOSER LOOK

The museum identifies this painting as oil on copper and credits Gillis van Coninxloo (Netherlandish, 1544–1607).

The museum's collection notes: Venus, the goddess of love, is unsuccessful in dissuading her mortal lover Adonis from hunting the boar that would eventually kill him. The artist nestles this story in the foreground of an expansive view with Germanic architecture, rather than a classical setting. Woodlands were relatively new subjects in European painting and this work points toward the full-blown forested landscapes of the 1600s.

FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE

The Cleveland Museum of ArtLandscape with Venus and Adonis

Original explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.