Hermaphroditos and Salmacis by Bartholomäus Spranger

Bartholomeus Spranger was a Flemish painter, draughtsman and etcher who lived and worked in Antwerp, Prague and Vienna. He was born in Antwerp in 1546 and trained with the painter Jan Mandijn. Spranger became master of the Antwerp Guild of St. Luke in 1565. In 1568 Spranger left Antwerp and travelled to Italy, where he studied the works of Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian. He also spent some time in Rome working for Cardinal Alessandro Farnese. In 1575 Spranger moved to Prague, where he worked as a court painter for Emperor Rudolf II. He became known for his highly refined and elegant style, influenced by Mannerism and the Italian Renaissance. Spranger's paintings often depicted mythological and allegorical subjects, and his figures were characterised by elongated proportions and graceful poses. Spranger remained in Prague until 1591, when he moved to Vienna to work for Emperor Rudolf's successor, Emperor Matthias. He died in Vienna in 1611. Spranger's work had a significant influence on the development of Baroque art in Central Europe. His paintings were highly sought after by collectors and patrons, and he was widely regarded as one of the most important artists of his time.

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