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This is a drawing of a scene with ancient ruins. The artwork shows a bearded warrior riding a horse, making a gesture with one hand holding the horse's reins. The setting includes decaying stone structures covered in ivy, featuring arches, columns, and statues. The intricate details of foliage and masonry create a rich texture. The composition conveys a sense of a mythological narrative or allegory.
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This is a drawing of a scene with ancient ruins. The artwork shows a bearded warrior riding a horse, making a gesture with one hand holding the horse's reins. The setting includes decaying stone structures covered in ivy, featuring arches, columns, and statues. The intricate details of foliage and masonry create a rich texture. The composition conveys a sense of a mythological narrative or allegory.

National Gallery of Art · Print

Balaam and the Angel

Dirck Volckertz Coornhert, after Maerten van Heemskerck

Date
1554
Medium
etching and engraving [left plate of 2 plates] on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet: 28.9 x 42 cm (11 3/8 x 16 9/16 in.)
Classification
Print
Accession number
2011.139.57
Credit line
Gift of the Estate of Leo Steinberg
Time span
1551 to 1600
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • Ruins
  • plant
  • Horse
  • Weapons
  • Man
Provenance

Leo Steinberg [1920-2011], New York; gift to NGA 2011.

Inscription

lower left in plate [on rock]: Hieronymus Cock excude. / 1554 / DVC [interlaced] fecit; lower center in plate: cum gratia et privilegio / per An. 6; lower right in plate: Martinus / Hemskerck / Inventor; lower margin in plate: QVO VAESANE RVIS: QVID VERBERE CEDIS INQVIO / INSONTEM BALAAME ASINAM: DABIS IMPIE POENAS. / COGNOSTI VERVM, SED VERO OBSISTERE PERGIS / CONSILIO HORRENDO, NEC TE MENS CONSCIA TERRET; by later hand, upper right, in graphite: L590

NGA object ID 156078. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.