Bartholomeus Spranger: Splendor and Eroticism in Imperial Prague

Metzler, Sally (2014)

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Description

The Flemish artist Bartholomeus Spranger (1546–1611) was a master of Mannerism, serving a cardinal, a pope, and two Holy Roman Emperors—most notably, as court painter for Rudolf II in Prague. Unlike most artists of the period, he defies classification as “Northern” or “Southern”; instead, Spranger became one of the first truly international artists, achieving his greatest success in Central Europe after spending a crucial decade in Italy. Favoring an elegant style, virtuoso technique, and erotically charged subjects, he was particularly celebrated for his amorously entwined nudes. In addition, he created paintings, drawings, and prints of evocative religious and political allegories, as well as atmospheric landscapes and a few rare portraits, all of which offer an abundance of visual pleasure.

Despite the widespread fame and influence he attained during his lifetime, Spranger has become an elusive and misunderstood figure. Bartholomeus Spranger: Splendor and Eroticism in Imperial Prague is the first book in English to be devoted to his art and life. It contains four sections—on paintings, drawings, etchings, and engravings related to his work—that chronicle his stylistic genesis and capture the complexity of his prolific oeuvre. Examining Spranger’s career against the backdrop of European culture, politics, and intellectual history, the book traces his artistic journey from Antwerp to Prague, with sojourns along the way in France, Italy, and Vienna. The detailed catalogue entries, including several newly discovered works, illuminate his development and reshape our understanding of it. The result is a major contribution to art history, restoring Bartholomeus Spranger to his rightful position as one of the most important and influential artists of the era.

Table of contents

Director’s Foreword
Acknowledgments
Lenders to the Exhibition
Map: Spranger’s Travels, 1546–1611
Introduction

Life

Catalogue
Spranger as Painter
Catalogue of Paintings

Spranger as Draftsman
Catalogue of Drawings

Spranger as Etcher
Catalogue of Etchings

Spranger in Print
Catalogue of Engravings after Spranger

Appendix: Misattributions, Copies, and Indeterminate Works
Bibliography
Index
Photograph Credits

About the authors

Sally Metzler is Guest Curator, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Adjunct Associate Professor at Northwestern University.

Press reviews

Antiques

"as complete a reference work as one could wish for on an artist whose time has come again"

Art Newspaper

"Spranger’s prolific, international career as a painter draughtsman, printmaker and print designer is carefully traced by Metzler in what is the first comprehensive English-language monograph on the artist. This substantial, heavily illustrated volume makes a significant contribution to our understanding of Spranger and his artistic cultural and socio-political milieu…provides a through account of the artist’s life and travels."

Burlington Magazine

"an admirable undertaking with a pleasantly readable biography…Metzler…is most perceptive in her comments on Rudolf’s intellectual interests and Spranger’s relationship to them."

London Evening Standard

"useful"

New York Times

"eminently readable biographical essay."

Washington Post

"designed to give a comprehensive overview of [Spranger’s] career, including many works not in the exhibition"

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Exhibition

Bartholomeus Spranger: Splendor and Eroticism in Imperial Prague

November 4, 2014–February 1, 2015

The first major exhibition devoted to Bartholomeus Spranger (1546–1611), a fascinating artist who served a cardinal, a pope, and two Holy Roman Emperors, this exhibition will examine Spranger's remarkable career through a selection of his rare paintings, drawings, and etchings, most of which will be on loan from international museums and private collections. Spranger emerged as one of the most prominent artists at the court of Rudolf II in Prague and the most significant Northern Mannerist artist of his generation. Adding a unique dimension to the exhibition will be works by artists who helped shape Spranger's artistic horizon.

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