Floor plan

Time and place16th-century Netherlands

16th-century Netherlands

The image shows a landscape viewed from above. The scene is oval, framed by tree branches on each side. Distant mountains form a boundary near the top. Delicate, finely executed lines create detailed foliage and landscape features. A winding path with a small figure adds scale. Lush trees climb upwards, with a muted color palette of the paper and dark brown and black lines providing contrast.
This painting depicts three people seated side-by-side outdoors. The central person is a young, nude child with curly, reddish hair and a red beaded necklace, sitting on a red cushion. Their head is turned to the right. The woman on the left wears a white head covering, a sheer veil around her neck, a green dress, and a red cloak with floral designs. She holds the torso of the child and drapes a white cloth around its legs. The woman on the right has long, flowing reddish hair and wears a white dress or robe with gold detailing down the front, on the neckline, and on the wrists. She holds an open red book, and the child is turning one of the thin pages. All three people have pale skin. Above them, in the cloudy blue sky, there is a white dove with its wings outstretched, gold lines radiating from it. Above the dove, there is an image of a crowned bearded man with pale skin, wearing red robes and holding an orb. He is against a golden background with red dots that breaks through the pale clouds. The background shows a landscape with green trees, hills, and pale blue buildings.
Three insects are depicted in the image: a butterfly with dark blue and red wings on the bottom left, a larger butterfly with white, black, and blue patterns at the top center, and a dragonfly with brown and gold tones on the bottom right. The color palette includes rich blues, reds, browns, and golds against a neutral background. The central butterfly is positioned higher than the other two insects, with the left butterfly and right dragonfly symmetrically arranged below.
A work made of engraving on three joined sheets of ivory laid paper.
The image shows an oval framing a scene with mountains, clouds, and trees. Delicate etched lines create textures in the landscape. The color palette is monochrome. Two figures are sitting under leafy trees, with a structure nearby.
Still Life with Flowers, a Snail and Insects, by Joris Hoefnagel, 1589
Diana and Actaeon, by Bartholomeus Spranger, ca. 1580–85
A work made of engraving in black on cream laid paper.

The works in this room are listed below.

Works in this room

Works made in the Netherlands in the 16th century.

First room, north wall

  1. The image shows a landscape viewed from above. The scene is oval, framed by tree branches on each side. Distant mountains form a boundary near the top. Delicate, finely executed lines create detailed foliage and landscape features. A winding path with a small figure adds scale. Lush trees climb upwards, with a muted color palette of the paper and dark brown and black lines providing contrast.
    The Boulder Crowned with TreesHerman van SwaneveltCourtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. This painting depicts three people seated side-by-side outdoors. The central person is a young, nude child with curly, reddish hair and a red beaded necklace, sitting on a red cushion. Their head is turned to the right. The woman on the left wears a white head covering, a sheer veil around her neck, a green dress, and a red cloak with floral designs. She holds the torso of the child and drapes a white cloth around its legs. The woman on the right has long, flowing reddish hair and wears a white dress or robe with gold detailing down the front, on the neckline, and on the wrists. She holds an open red book, and the child is turning one of the thin pages. All three people have pale skin. Above them, in the cloudy blue sky, there is a white dove with its wings outstretched, gold lines radiating from it. Above the dove, there is an image of a crowned bearded man with pale skin, wearing red robes and holding an orb. He is against a golden background with red dots that breaks through the pale clouds. The background shows a landscape with green trees, hills, and pale blue buildings.
    Saint Anne with the Virgin and the Christ ChildMaster of Frankfurt, c. 1511/1515Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. Three insects are depicted in the image: a butterfly with dark blue and red wings on the bottom left, a larger butterfly with white, black, and blue patterns at the top center, and a dragonfly with brown and gold tones on the bottom right. The color palette includes rich blues, reds, browns, and golds against a neutral background. The central butterfly is positioned higher than the other two insects, with the left butterfly and right dragonfly symmetrically arranged below.
    Plate 13: Yellow Swallowtail and Red Admiral Butterflies with a Dragonfly (Broad-Bodied Chaser?)Joris Hoefnagel, c.1575/1590sCourtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  4. A work made of engraving on three joined sheets of ivory laid paper.
    The Wedding of Cupid and PsycheHendrick Goltzius, 1587Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

First room, south wall

  1. The image shows an oval framing a scene with mountains, clouds, and trees. Delicate etched lines create textures in the landscape. The color palette is monochrome. Two figures are sitting under leafy trees, with a structure nearby.
    Two Men Seated Near the WatersideHerman van SwaneveltCourtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. Still Life with Flowers, a Snail and Insects, by Joris Hoefnagel, 1589
    Still Life with Flowers, a Snail and InsectsJoris Hoefnagel, 1589Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. Diana and Actaeon, by Bartholomeus Spranger, ca. 1580–85
    Diana and ActaeonBartholomeus Spranger, ca. 1580–85Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  4. A work made of engraving in black on cream laid paper.
    Christ Raises the Dead Son of the Widow of NainJacob Matham, 1593/94Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Second room, south wall

  1. A work made of engraving on ivory laid paper.
    Hercules Slaying the HydraJan Harmensz. Muller, c. 1602Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. The Penitence of Saint Jerome, by Joachim Patinir, ca. 1515
    The Penitence of Saint JeromeJoachim Patinir, ca. 1515Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. The Power of Women: The Poet Virgil Suspended in a Basket, by Lucas van Leyden, c. 1512
    The Power of Women: The Poet Virgil Suspended in a BasketLucas van Leyden, c. 1512Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  4. Study of Eleven Heads, by Jacques de Gheyn II, late 16th–early 17th century
    Study of Eleven HeadsJacques de Gheyn II, late 16th–early 17th centuryCourtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Second room, north wall

  1. The image shows an elevated view looking down into a crater-like landscape with steep surrounding cliffs. The horizon is high in the image, obscured by rocky formations and rising plumes of smoke. The detailed drawing has a sketch-like quality with fine lines depicting the cliffs and swirling smoke. The color palette is monochromatic, using shades of brown and beige. Two figures and a horse stand on a sloped terrain, providing scale. The crater's basin is visible, with smoke plumes and rock formations in the distance, stretching towards the horizon.
    Forum Vulcani: The Hot Springs at PozzuoliJoris Hoefnagel, 1578Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. A work made of oil on copper.
    David Slaying GoliathDutch, 1600–50Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. A work made of engraving on two joined sheets of ivory laid paper.
    Fortune Distributing her GiftsJan Harmensz. Muller, 1590Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  4. The image shows a landscape scene viewed from an elevated perspective. The horizon is low, with mountains visible in the distance. The scene features detailed brushstroke technique and a monochromatic palette. Trees dominate the left side, with two figures walking along a path towards the horizon. The color palette is black and white, accentuating details, light, and shadow.
    Three Men Carrying StaffsHerman van SwaneveltCourtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington