Two Female Figures with a Cornucopia (Design for a Medallion or Plate)
Drawing on paper, specifically a roundel or tondo format. • Attributed to the Circle of Bartholomäus Spranger or Hendrick Goltzius (Prague-Haarlem Mannerism)
Style & Movement
Northern Mannerism (Late Renaissance), specifically the 'Prague-Haarlem Axis' style associated with the court of Rudolf II.
Medium & Technique
Pen and brown ink, brown wash, heightened with white gouache or white chalk on prepared or aged paper.
Creation Period
Circa 1580–1600
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 15–20 cm in diameter; Circular tondo format, likely a preparatory study for a decorative object such as a silver platter or ceramic vessel.
Subject Description
Two allegorical female figures, likely representing Abundance or Pomona, holding a cornucopia filled with fruit. The figures exhibit the elongated proportions, small heads, and muscular, spiraling poses (figura serpentinata) characteristic of Mannerism.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair to Good; the drawing shows typical signs of age-related degradation including minor foxing, surface soiling, and edge wear consistent with 16th-century works on paper.
Estimated Market Value
$8,000 – $15,000 USD
Auction Estimate
$6,000 – $12,000 USD
Provenance History
Unknown; stylistic connection to the 'Prague-Haarlem Axis' suggests it may have originated in a workshop serving the Holy Roman Emperor or a high-ranking Dutch patron.
Art Historical Significance
Significant as a primary document of the cross-pollination between the Rudolphine court in Prague and the Haarlem Academy. It demonstrates the dissemination of Spranger’s sensuous style through printmakers like Goltzius.
Notable Features
The use of white heightening creates a strong sculptural volume (chiaroscuro) intended to mimic the three-dimensional effects of metalwork or stucco reliefs.
Condition Issues
Visible vertical creases or small tears at the top edge, darkening of the paper (acidification), and possible oxidation of the white heightening resulting in a slightly duller appearance.
Conservation Recommendations
Professional deacidification and stabilization of the paper support; archival mounting using acid-free materials; display under UV-filtering glass in a climate-controlled environment.
Collector Notes
Prague-Haarlem Axis