Skip to main content

Hendrick van Steenwyck the Younger, 'The Courtyard of a Renaissance Palace', 1610

About the work

Overview

In the courtyard of this vast and palatial complex of buildings, a woman stands with her young servants. The bright red of her dress and the dark blue of her attendants’ outfits are echoed in the feathers of the parrot that is perched on the pedestal to the right. Two men seemingly demonstrate their devotion to the woman: one kisses the front of her dress while the other, down on one knee, presses his hand to his heart.

Such images appealed to sophisticated collectors throughout Europe, who appreciated the minute detail, clever spatial illusion and knowledgeable use of classical architectural motifs. The figures here were probably not painted by Steenwyck. He often collaborated with other artists – they worked on the figures while he painted the architecture and landscape.

Key facts

Details

Full title
A Man kneels before a Woman in the Courtyard of a Renaissance Palace
Artist dates
active by 1604; died 1649
Date made
1610
Medium and support
oil on copper
Dimensions
40.2 × 69.8 cm
Inscription summary
Signed; Dated
Acquisition credit
Bequeathed Lt-Col. J.H. Ollney, 1837
Inventory number
NG141
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

Images