early life and training
hendrick goltzius, a german-born dutch printmaker, draftsman, and painter, was born in january or february 1558. he was the leading dutch engraver of the early baroque period, or northern mannerism, lauded for his sophisticated technique and "exuberance" of his compositions. according to a. hyatt mayor, goltzius "was the last professional engraver who drew with the authority of a good painter and the last who invented many pictures for others to copy". goltzius's family moved to duisburg when he was 3 years old, and after studying painting on glass under his father, he learned engraving from the dutch polymath dirck volckertszoon coornhert.artistic career
in 1577, goltzius moved with coornhert to haarlem in the dutch republic, where he remained based for the rest of his life. he was also employed by philip galle to engrave a set of prints of the history of lucretia. goltzius had a malformed right hand from a fire when he was a baby, which turned out to be especially well-suited to holding the burin. this unique physical characteristic allowed him to master a commanding swing of line, making his engravings highly distinctive. hendrick goltzius brought to an unprecedented level the use of the "swelling line", where the burin is manipulated to make lines thicker or thinner to create a tonal effect from a distance.technique and style
goltzius was a pioneer of the "dot and lozenge" technique, where dots are placed in the middle of lozenge-shaped spaces created by cross-hatching to further refine tonal shading. his command of the burin is said to rival dürer, and he made engravings of bartholomeus spranger's paintings, thus increasing the fame of the latter – and his own. goltzius began painting at the age of forty-two; some of his paintings can be found in vienna. he also executed a few chiaroscuro woodcuts.public collections and legacy
most major print rooms will have a group of goltzius's many engravings, including the museum boijmans van beuningen, rijksmuseum amsterdam, and the metropolitan museum of art. his legacy can be seen in the works of other artists, such as jacques bellange, who was also a master of northern mannerist printmaking. goltzius's engravings and paintings continue to inspire art lovers and scholars alike, and his work can be found on WahooArt.com and in the wikipedia article dedicated to his life and work.- some of goltzius's notable works include: jupiter, minerva, and the prophet baruch
- museums with his work: los angeles county museum of art, philadelphia museum of art, and british museum
- techniques used by goltzius: "swelling line" and "dot and lozenge" technique
Questions & Answers
In which historical period did Hendrik Goltzius work?
Hendrik Goltzius worked in the Renaissance period. The period situates the artist's activity in history.
Where are Hendrik Goltzius's artworks grouped by art movement?
The movements Hendrik Goltzius worked in can be seen on the artist's All Movements page, which groups the artworks by movement.
How is Hendrik Goltzius's career divided into periods?
The Chronicle of Hendrik Goltzius is a scroll-driven timeline that presents the artist's works in chronological order, grouped into career-period chapters.
What are the birth city and country of Hendrik Goltzius?
Hendrik Goltzius was born in Braunschweig, in Italy.
Where is Hendrik Goltzius from?
Hendrik Goltzius was born in Italy.
What are the birthplace and birth year of Hendrik Goltzius?
Hendrik Goltzius was born in Braunschweig in 1558.
Where can I find statistics about Hendrik Goltzius's works?
A Stats page exists for Hendrik Goltzius, presenting statistics about the artist's artworks on this website.
