Venus and Mercury 1585

Bartholomeus Spranger's "Venus and Mercury" from 1585 depicts the Roman goddess Venus, accompanied by the god Mercury, who is shown offering her a helmet. The scene is likely inspired by Roman mythology and features a classical aesthetic with a focus on the beauty of the human form. The painting exemplifies the Mannerist style, which emphasized elongated figures, intricate compositions, and a sense of idealized beauty, all of which can be seen in Spranger's work.