Artwork
Landscape with Hunt of Meleager and Atalanta
Landscape with Hunt of Meleager and Atalanta is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Jan Wildens. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp. Created around 1650, this oil on canvas presents a wooded hunting scene populated by riders, foot hunters and a flowing river.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The scene represents the famous Calydonian Boar hunt where the hero Meleager and the huntress Atalanta play central roles.
The painting depicts the mythological Hunt of Meleager and Atalanta, a narrative event from classical antiquity. As a landscape work, the composition centers on the interaction between human figures and the natural environment, specifically featuring horses and trees as key visual elements. The scene represents the famous Calydonian Boar hunt where the hero Meleager and the huntress Atalanta play central roles.
While the specific actions of the hunt are implied through the presence of these figures and animals within the wooded setting, the work functions primarily as a landscape painting that integrates this legendary subject into a scenic view.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1650, this landscape by Jan Wildens is an oil painting on canvas. The work measures 158 cm in height and 216.2 cm in width. Stylistically, the composition functions as a landscape genre piece that incorporates specific narrative elements, including depictions of horses and trees to frame the mythological subject matter.
History & Provenance
The work titled Landscape with Hunt of Meleager and Atalanta was created in 1650 by Jan Wildens as an oil painting on canvas. It entered the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, where it remains on display. The painting measures 158 cm in height and 216.2 cm in width.
The painting Landscape with Hunt of Meleager and Atalanta by Jan Wildens is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp. Executed in oil on canvas in 1650, the work measures 158 cm in height and 216.2 cm in width. The provided sources confirm the artwork's location and physical attributes but do not contain specific inventory numbers or details regarding its exhibition history.
Overview
Created around 1650, this oil on canvas presents a wooded hunting scene populated by riders, foot hunters and a flowing river. The composition is anchored by a prominent central tree that catches a gentle illumination, while the surrounding foliage shifts between verdant greens and autumnal browns, establishing a balanced, naturalistic setting.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Wildens (1586 in Antwerp – 16 October 1653 in Antwerp) was a Flemish painter and draughtsman specializing in landscapes.
