Two Female Figures with a Cornucopia (Possible Caryatids)
Drawing on paper, circular tondo format • Circle of Hendrick Goltzius or Bartholomeus Spranger; Northern Mannerist School
Style & Movement
Northern Mannerism (Haarlem or Prague school influence)
Medium & Technique
Pen and brown ink with brown wash, heightened with white gouache (zinc or lead white) on laid paper
Creation Period
Late 16th to early 17th Century (circa 1580–1620)
Dimensions & Format
Estimated diameter 15-20 cm; Tondo (circular) format
Subject Description
Two mythological or allegorical female figures in highly stylized, torsion-heavy poses (contrapposto). One figure holds a cornucopia (horn of plenty). The muscular anatomy and elongated features are characteristic of Mannerist ideals of beauty and power.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair to Good; shows typical signs of age-related degradation for a 400-year-old work on paper
Estimated Market Value
$4,000 - $7,000 USD
Auction Estimate
$3,000 - $5,000 USD
Provenance History
Unknown; lacks visible collector marks on the recto, though the circular cut suggests it may have been removed from an album or designed as a preparatory study for a medal or plate
Art Historical Significance
A fine example of the 'Sprangerism' style that dominated the Dutch and Flemish courts. It demonstrates the transmission of Italianate muscularity into Northern European drawing traditions.
Notable Features
Virtuosic use of white heightening to create three-dimensional volume; distinctive 'serpentine' figure composition typical of the Dutch Mannerist aesthetic
Condition Issues
Visible foxing (brown spots), minor paper losses at the upper right edge, horizontal crease across the center, and oxidation/darkening of the white heightening
Conservation Recommendations
Professional cleaning by a paper conservator to stabilize foxing; archival mounting; UV-protective glazing; kept in a low-light, climate-controlled environment
Collector Notes
Dutch mannerist