Reuk 1576 - 1580

Hendrick Goltzius created this engraving, "Reuk," using lines to define forms and textures. The composition centers on a female figure, elegantly holding a vase overflowing with flowers, while a dog rests at her feet, and an idyllic landscape unfolds in the background. Here, the artist meticulously uses hatching and cross-hatching to build tonal depth, giving shape to the figure's draped clothing and the lush vegetation. Note how Goltzius destabilizes conventional portraiture by focusing on the allegory of smell rather than individual likeness. This work functions as a study in sensory representation, where the visual language is deployed to evoke the intangible, challenging the viewer to consider how art can explore beyond the merely visible. Through this emphasis on form and allegory, the artist invites us to ponder the broader cultural and philosophical implications of sensory experience.