Venus Crouching 1500 - 1538

Albrecht Altdorfer's "Venus Crouching" is a small but striking engraving depicting the Roman goddess of love, Venus, in a seated pose with a winged Cupid hovering above her. The artwork showcases Altdorfer's meticulous attention to detail, evident in the delicate hatching and cross-hatching lines that create a sense of volume and texture, particularly in Venus's body. The use of light and shadow further enhances the illusion of depth. This piece, created sometime between 1500 and 1538, exemplifies the transition from the Renaissance to Mannerism with its emphasis on emotional expression and the elongated, idealized forms of the figures.