Proserpine by Hendrick Goltzius captures the Roman goddess of the underworld. Her body twists in a serpentine pose known as figura serpentinata, a spiralling movement characteristic of the refined artifice of Northern Mannerism.

Goltzius was also a pioneering printmaker. In the late sixteenth century, he helped develop the chiaroscuro woodcut, using multiple carved woodblocks printed in different tones to create light and shadow. This layered technique added depth and atmosphere.

As in many of Goltzius’s works, the anatomy is highly idealised - muscular yet smooth, controlled yet expressive. By drawing on Classical myth, artists of this period could depict the nude sensually while exploring themes of fertility, temptation and transformation in a manner considered socially acceptable.