The Toilet of Venus

c. 1590

Joseph Heintz the Elder

Associated Names
Joseph Heintz the Elder

Artist, Swiss, 1564 - 1609

The image shows two figures, an adult and a child. The adult is seated and leans forward, reaching towards the child. The adult has sharp facial features, styled hair, and is draped in flowing garments. The child is depicted from the back, seated with one leg raised, wearing minimal clothing. The adult's hand supports the child's back in a tender manner. The background is simple, emphasizing the figures, with shading for depth. The scene is rendered in a sketch-like style with cross-hatching and shading.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    pen and ink over red and black chalk with wash and heightening on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Director's Discretionary Fund

  • Dimensions

    overall: 19.2 x 14.6 cm (7 9/16 x 5 3/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2000.65.2

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Oettingen-Wallerstein Collection, Maihingen, inv. no. 2294. (C.G. Boerner Inc., New York); purchased 2000 by NGA.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1988

  • Zimmer, Jürgen. Joseph Heintz der Ältere. Zeichnungen und Dokumente. Munich, 1988: no. A55, fig. 95.

Inscriptions

recto: none; on mount, at lower right, in later hand in black ink: 79; verso: none

Markings

recto: heart-shaped collector mark (not in Lugt)

Wikidata ID

Q64591200

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