Hendrik Goltzius

Heaped around this likeness of Hendrick Goltzius (1558-1617) are emblems of the great artist's life. The bottles refer to his experiments with alchemy; the compass and drafting square signify his devotion to disegno, the art of design. At top are Goltzius's personal emblems, including a winged caduceus and a phoenix head with his motto, Eer boven Golt (Honor above Gold). The furtive figures at bottom could refer to Goltzius's habit, recounted by biographer Karel van Mander, of traveling in disguise because he liked to overhear comments about his work.