Waanzin van Hugo van der Goes 1876

"Waanzin van Hugo van der Goes" is an 1876 etching by the Belgian artist Auguste Danse, now housed in the Rijksmuseum. The artwork depicts the 15th-century Flemish painter Hugo van der Goes experiencing a mental breakdown while working on his famous "Portinari Altarpiece." Danse's etching captures the dramatic scene of van der Goes surrounded by his assistants and a group of singers, highlighting the artist's torment through expressive lines and subtle shading. The artwork, a powerful representation of artistic struggle and mental illness, was created during a period when depictions of madness were gaining interest in art.