Venus vliegt naar de Olympus

About this artwork

collector's mark: Lugt 240

Art Historical Context

Gerard de Lairesse *Venus vliegt naar de Olympus*Venus Flies to Olympus), created between 1675 and1680, captures a moment of divine ascent in classical mythology. This etching depicts the goddess Venus soaring toward the heavenly realm of Olympus, surrounded by putti and ethereal clouds, embodying the Baroque era's fascination with movement, drama, and antiquity. De Lairesse, a prominent Dutch artist of the late Golden Age, inspiration from Rubens and antique sculpture, blending elegant linework with theatrical grandeur in his history paintings and prints. Etched on a modest plate (213 × 167 ...

About the Artist

Gerard de Lairesse · 1641–1711

Gerard de Lairesse (1641–1711) was a leading figure of the Dutch Golden Age, renowned as both a painter and art theorist whose classical ideals bridged the dramatic realism of Rembrandt with the refined elegance of French academism. Born on September 11, 1641, in Liège, he was the second son of the painter Renier de Lairesse (1597–1667). De Lairesse received his initial training under his father b...