Artwork
Meleager and Atalanta
Meleager and Atalanta is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1694 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
Stylistically, the work belongs to the mythological genre, depicting a scene from classical antiquity with careful delineation of figures and drapery.
The painting is executed in oil on copper, a support associated with refined, small-scale works in the late 17th century. The copper panel measures 28 cm in height by 33 cm in width, providing a rigid, non-absorbent ground that supports smooth, detailed handling typical of cabinet pictures of this period.
Stylistically, the work belongs to the mythological genre, depicting a scene from classical antiquity with careful delineation of figures and drapery. The handling favors crisp contours and polished surfaces, consistent with the technical demands of oil on metal, which allows for luminous glazes and intricate detail without the absorption seen on canvas.
History & Provenance
The painting was created in 1687 on copper, depicting the mythological scene of Meleager and Atalanta. It entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains on display.
The work was commissioned as an anonymous mythological painting and is classified within the mythological painting genre.
The painting is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it is catalogued as part of the museum's holdings of mythological works. According to the available records, the work is executed in oil on copper and dates to 1687, and it is attributed to an anonymous artist rather than a named maker.
No specific accession number, inventory reference, or loan history is documented in the available sources. Likewise, no record of past exhibitions, display locations within the museum, or public loans to other institutions has been identified in the cited material.
Overview
Meleager and Atalanta is a copper painting depicting a forest scene with a man and woman. The work features a prominent use of chiaroscuro, a technique that utilizes strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of depth.
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows a standing male figure with a bow, wearing a red cloak, and a kneeling female figure beside him. A winged child is nearby. The figures are set against a backdrop of dark trees and a distant landscape, suggesting a narrative or mythological context.
Artist & collection
