Items Similar to Herman Posthumus (East Frisia, 1512/1513 - Amsterdam, 1588), Leda
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 15
Herman PosthumusHerman Posthumus (East Frisia, 1512/1513 - Amsterdam, 1588), Leda16th Century
16th Century
About the Item
Herman Posthumus (East Frisia, 1512/1513 - Amsterdam, 1588)
Leda & the Swan
Oil on canvas, 87.5 x 142 cm
Framed, 107 x 161 cm
Initial 'P' in the center of a pillow decoration
Critical Record Prof. Claudio Strinati
A misunderstood artist but one with extraordinary technical-executive skills, Herman Posthumus was born in East Frisia around 1512 and learned his first rudiments in painting at Jan van Scorel's workshop in Utrecht. A wandering and itinerant painter, he was in Tunisia at the side of Emperor Charles V to document the most salient events of the military campaign conducted by the sovereign, and later found himself, on several occasions, in Italy; during his first Italian sojourn, conducted around the early 1630s, he was in Rome, where, together with his friend and companion Van Heemskerk, he documented his presence by leaving a graffito with his own signature at the so-called Black Vault of Nero's Domus Aurea, a place that catalyzed the attention of Italian and foreign artists following its discovery in the late 15th century. On the occasion of his second Italian sojourn, carried on in the late 1930s and early 1940s, the artist was in Mantua, where he had the opportunity to observe and study from life the monumental works of Giulio Romano, which impressed a decisive change within his artistic career: during Herman Posthumus's second Italian sojourn, the most famous of his paintings was executed, the Tempus edax rerum, signed and dated 1536, currently part of the collection of the Princes of Liechtenstein in Vienna. Following his two Italian sojourns, Posthumus worked extensively in Germany, including in the service of illustrious patrons, foremost among them Duke Ludwig X of Bavaria, for whose residence he decorated the court chapel, with frescoes now partially destroyed and covered by Augustin Demel's 18th-century wall paintings. He also executed an altarpiece for the chapel that, in the central compartment, featured the scene of the Adoration of the Magi and which, for centuries, was kept at Trausnitz Castle in Lower Bavaria. At the Bavarian palace of Ludwig X, the Frisian-born artist also made a cycle of stories of the goddess Minerva and the maiden Arachne.
Our painting, within which the iconographic theme of Leda and the Swan is taken up in a traditional manner, may have been executed by the painter during one of his two Italian sojourns: the work has similar characteristics to the artist's only painting certainly executed in an Italian setting, the aforementioned Tempus edax rerum owned by the Princes of Liechtenstein. The two works are united by the presence of the same dreamlike and esoteric character traits, as well as by the cool hues and marked drawing stroke. Various references to the visual landscape and cultural background of those years can be perceived in the work: the painting's colorism and bold, imposing forms hark back to the coeval Venetian painting tradition; the magical-esoteric background that pervades the composition constitutes a reference to the texts of Marsilio Ficino, with particular reference to the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a text published in Venice by Aldo Manuzio in 1499; while the elongated forms of the figures and the sinuous neck of the swan seem to look to coeval Leonardo models. Leda, the protagonist of our painting, queen of Sparta and bride of Tyndarus, is lying on a sheet with her torso gently raised by a white pillow. To his figure, which occupies the entire space of the canvas, that of Zeus in the disguise of a swan is suavely lined up. Following this union, according to the myth, Leda laid an egg from which Helen, the dioscurs Castor and Pollux, and Clytemnestra were born. The story should have taken place along the Eurota River: however, the background in the present painting is a detailed, lenticularly rendered view of a mountain range surrounding a lake, and some buildings. Prominent among these are an aqueduct and the Pyramid Cestia: a landscape piece of great quality, in essence, especially in the chromatic rendering of the surrounding vegetation and the softly outlined mountains, so much so that it suggests that the artist studied, during his ascertained and prolonged stay in Italy, the works of his ideal master Leonardo.
- Creator:Herman Posthumus (Dutch)
- Creation Year:16th Century
- Dimensions:Height: 34.26 in (87 cm)Width: 57.09 in (145 cm)
- More Editions & Sizes:87x145Price: $16,645
- Medium:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Milan, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2639216359842
About the Seller
No Reviews Yet
Vetted Professional Seller
Every seller passes strict standards for authenticity and reliability
1stDibs seller since 2023
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Milan, Italy
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View AllAndrej Franševič Belloli (1821-1881), Bather after bathing, 1870
Located in Milan, IT
Andrej Franševič Belloli (1821-1881)
Bather after bathing, 1870
Oil on canvas 165 x 100 cm
Frame, 200 x 135 cm
Signed in Cyrillic and dated in the lower right corner
The work e...
Category
19th Century Other Art Style Nude Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
After Francois Boucher, Odalisque
By (After) Francois Boucher
Located in Milan, IT
Second half of the 18th century, follower of François Boucher
Odalisque
Oil on canvas, 75 x 125 cm
Framed, 124 x 152 cm
In the 18th century, French artist François Boucher did no...
Category
18th Century Other Art Style Nude Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Diana Coomans (Paris, Aug. 16, 1861 - New York, June 18, 1952), Princess
By Diana Coomans
Located in Milan, IT
Diana Coomans (Paris, August 16, 1861 - New York, June 18, 1952)
Egyptian princess
Oil on canvas, 81.5 x 61 cm
Aboard an Egyptian felucca, an elegant princess, richly attired and ...
Category
19th Century Other Art Style Nude Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
By Jean Louis Victor Viger de Vigneau (Argentan, 1819- Paris, 1879), Cleopatra
Located in Milan, IT
Jean Louis Victor Viger de Vigneau (Argentan, 1819- Paris, 1879)
The Death of Cleopatra
Oil on panel, 21 x 28 cm
Framed, 34 x 39 cm
Signed at lower right "H. Viger. D."
Born in ...
Category
19th Century Other Art Style Nude Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Circle of Johann Anton Eismann canvas with landscape with ruins and figures
Located in Milan, IT
Workshop of Johann Anton Eismann (1604-1698)
Landscape with ruins and figures
Oil on canvas, 110.5 x 93 cm
Framed, 123 x 104 cm
The background depicts a rocky shoreline facing th...
Category
17th Century Landscape Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Cows to pasture by John W. Morris
Located in Milan, IT
John W. Morris (United Kingdom, 1865-1924)
Cows to pasture
Oil on canvas, 91 x 69 cm
John William Morris is a British artist best known for his landscape paintings and animal scen...
Category
19th Century Animal Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
You May Also Like
Rêverie
By Albert Lynch
Located in Paris, FR
Albert LYNCH (1851-1936)
French
"Rêverie"
Oil on canvas
Signed lower left
Canvas: 43 1/4" high x 24 3/4" wide
Frame: 49 5/8" high x 30 3/4" wide
Albert LYNCH: Born in Lima in 1851, Albert Lynch studied art at L'Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Paris and in the studios of the figure painters Gabriel Ferrier and Henri Lehmann...
Category
19th Century Pre-Raphaelite Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Model Charlotte" Original impressionistic figurative painting. Horizontal .
Located in Oslo, NO
In this oil painting, I've captured a moment of introspective contemplation, using the figurative impressionism style to emphasize the raw emotions and vulnerability. The brushstroke...
Category
2010s Post-Impressionist Nude Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Nude model" Impessionistic figurative study. Oil on canvas
Located in Oslo, NO
In this oil painting, I embraced the enchanting dance of light and form. With each brushstroke, I sought to capture the delicate interplay of shadows and textures on the human figure...
Category
2010s Post-Impressionist Nude Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Courage - Soft Toned Sensitive Portrayal of Intimate Figures and Graceful Nudes
By Gabriele Mierzwa
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Typical of Gabriele Mierzwa's softly toned academically inspired figurative oil paintings is the sensitive portrayal of dynamic, intimate figures. These sensual moments are powerfull...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Mixed Media
Materials
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil Pastel, Oil
La Carine-Celle de Bois-Le-Vent
Located in LE HAVRE, FR
Ramon DILLEY (né en 1932)
La Carine-Celle de Bois-Le-Vent
Oil on cardboard mounted on canvas
Painting dimensions: 61 x 48 cm
Signed lower right
Titled on the back
Provenance: Privat...
Category
Late 20th Century Fauvist Nude Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Watch Planes + Break Sticks_ America Martin_Oil/Acrylic- Female Nude Figure
By America Martin
Located in 326 N Coast Hwy. | Laguna Beach, CA
America Martin
"Watch Planes and Break Sticks"
Oil & Acrylic on Canvas
52.25" x 52" Framed
Exploring the identity of both her namesake and cou...
Category
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$11,775 Sale Price
25% Off