Mars and Venus Adulterous

Art Historical Context

This engraving, titled *Mars and Venus Adulterous*, was created by Hans Collaert the Younger after a design by Philip Galle between 1580 and 1628. Produced as an engraving on laid paper, the work measures 18.2 by 22.5 cm at the plate. Engraving, a precise printmaking method of incising fine lines into a metal plate before inking and pressing it onto paper, enabled the detailed reproduction and wide circulation of images during this era of expanding visual culture. The title draws from classical mythology, portraying the illicit affair between Mars, god of war, and Venus, goddess of love—a narrative rich in drama, passion, and moral undertones that captivated artists and audiences of the time. Such subjects highlighted the Renaissance-era revival of ancient stories, blending them with contemporary artistic expression. Now in the National Gallery of Art collection as a gift of Ruth Cole Kainen, this print exemplifies collaborative engraving practices, where one artist interpreted another's composition to share mythological themes with a broader public. It offers a window into how prints preserved and popularized these enduring tales.