Apollo
1588
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1588
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Apollo is a 1588 by Hendrik Goltzius, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This is Apollo, the sun god, carved into metal. He’s all muscle and fire, stepping on clouds like they’re waves, his chariot racing behind him. Goltzius gave Apollo a Latin halo that reads like a tagline: “The bright Sun drives away darkness and lights the whole earth.” The body is too pumped—ribs and veins pop like they’re drawn with a ruler. That extra drama is Mannerism, a style that loved exaggeration over realism. Look up Mannerism next.
