1590
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Daughters of Cecrops Open the Casket Entrusted to Them by Minerva is a 1590 ink by Hendrik Goltzius, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows three women in a forest. One stands holding a baby, another kneels by a chest, and the third leans in curiously. Trees and a distant building frame them, with birds perched above. The women’s flowing robes and careful poses feel formal, almost like a scene from a storybook. The artist used fine lines to build shadows and textures, making the fabric and leaves look almost three-dimensional. The Latin text at the bottom hints this is a mythological tale—something about a casket and a goddess. Want to see how artists like this made prints? Look up engraving.
Hendrick Goltzius (German: , Dutch: ; né Goltz; January or February 1558 – 1 January 1617) was a German-born Dutch printmaker, draftsman, and painter.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
