Paintings by Joachim Wtewael

The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, 1600. (Detail.)

I included three images by the Dutch Mannerist Joachim Wtewael in my post last week on paintings illustrating the mythological tale of Vulcan's gathering of the gods of Olympus to make them witness of the bed-rumpling of his wife and her lover Mars whom he'd just caught in flagrante delicto. Since I wasn't familiar with the painter before my image search, I went back and sought out more of his work. I have to say that I find his work quite fascinating. In general, I really rather enjoy the often pervy Mannerists, but I especially like the lushness and excessive/obsessive detail of this artist's work.

The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, 1600. Before the arrows, he's being lashed to the tree.

Detail of above.

Bacchus, 1638.

The Judgement of Paris, 1615.

Detail of above. So many goats! Oh... and a camel.

Detail of above. A whole lot of naked frolicking in the background, while Apollo drives the sun chariot overhead

The Kitchen Maid, circa 1620-25. A remarkable painting, but I'll spare us all any detail views. Blech.

Self-portrait of the artist, 1601.

Portrait of the artist's wife, Christina Wtewael van Halen (1568-1629), 1601.

Portrait of the artist's daughter, Eva Wtewael (1607-1635), 1628.

Venus and Adonis, circa 1607-10.

Detail of above. As so often with paintings on religious or mythological themes, further story developments
are vignetted into the background. Here, the death of Adonis, the young fellow being attacked by a wild boar;
his faithful hunting dogs, in the midst an unsuccessful counterattack, have thrown themselves onto the pile.

Diana, date unknown.

Lot and his daughters, 1600. (Such a very yucky Bible story....)

Detail of above.

Charity, 1627.

Andromeda, 1611.

Detail of above. I love the gorgeous dragon and the lush scatter of shells and bones on the shore, the elegantly turned wrist of the lolling skeleton.