Public domain
Allegory of Nature as the Nourisher of Art
From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
A partially nude woman sprinkles milk from her breast on a man's viol. This enigmatic scene may represent Mother Nature, who inspires and nourishes Art. Van Hemessen was a leading Antwerp painter in the second quarter of the 16th century. His figures betray a marked Italian influence, especially in his use of soft, 'smoky' contours, the so-called sfumato painting technique.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own descriptionCredit lineAllegorie op de Natuur als voedster van de Kunst. 1540 - 1557. Jan van Hemessen. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.
