Landscape with Figures, Diana and Two Nymphs
Willem de Heusch (vermutlich vor/probably before 1625 - 1692)
Framesize 39.20 x 49.20 x 4.50 cm
In contrast to the "Landscape with Donkey-Drivers", here de Heusch has enlivened the second painting with figures from mythology, transforming the southern landscape into the Arcadian realm. Crescent-shaped diadem, quiver, bow, three dogs and two attendants show her as Diana, virgin goddess of the hunt. De Heusch knew southern landscapes with mythological figures from many works by Cornelis van Poelenburgh, a representative of the first generation of Italianate painters; in de Heusch’s work they were an exception. Both pictures are structured by striking groups of trees and boulders lying on the paths.
The first painting shows diffuse southern light, whereas the Diana work is clearer, allowing a deeper view into the landscape. The trees on the bank are reflected in the calm water.
Ducke Astrid: Willem de Heusch, Landscape with Figures, Diana and two Nymphs, in: Ducke Astrid, Habersatter Thomas (Hrsg./Edi.): von | from 0 auf | to 100. Residenzgalerie Salzburg 1923-2023. Salzburg 2023, S./p. 154-155
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