Joan Huydecoper and Sophia Coymans as Mars and Venus
Rombout Verhulst
ca. 1655 - ca. 1658
Medium
modeling
Dimensions
42
About this artwork
On loan from the Koninklijk Oudheidkundig Genootschap
Art Historical Context
Welcome visitors to this captivating terracotta model by Rombout Verhul, a master Dutch sculptor of the Baroque era. Titled *Joan Huydecoper and Coymans as Mars Venus* (ca. 1655–1658), this 42 cm high preparatory work portrays the affluent Amsterdam burgomaster Joan Huydec and his wife Sophia Coymans in the guise of the Roman gods of war and love. Created during the Dutch Golden Age, it reflects the era's prosperity and delight in classical mythology, where elite couples commissioned allegorical portraits to celebrate their unions with grandeur and wit. Verhulst's skillful modeling in terraco...