Venus and Adonis

Venus and Adonis depicts the ancient Roman goddess of love lounging outdoors with the object of her affection. Accompanied here by Cupid, Venus warns Adonis of the dangers of hunting, an admonition he ignores. The hunting dogs held by Adonis foreshadow his death by a wild boar attack. Painted while von Aachen was in Italy, the figures and landscape show the influence that northern Italian painting had on the German artist, particularly the vivid coloristic effects of Venetian art and the elongated body types made famous by the artist Parmigianino. Although von Aachen eventually returned to northern Europe, he continued working in the mannerist style he developed in Italy. In 1592, Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II named von Aachen the First Court Painter of Prague, a distinguished appointment that placed him at the center of the most celebrated royal court of the time.