Nepton and Amphitrite

This 1618 Neptune and Amphitrite depicts the sea god and his wife, a mythological subject that allowed Jordaens to display his skill in painting the nude figure. The early work shows the young painter establishing his interpretation of classical mythology through the lens of Flemish naturalism. Jordaens, who outlived both Rubens and Van Dyck to become the dominant figure in Flemish Baroque painting for the second half of the seventeenth century, was particularly celebrated for his exuberant genre subjects, especially his series on the Flemish proverb about the King of the Bean.

The painting demonstrates Jordaens' early mastery of flesh painting, with robust, full-bodied figures rendered in warm tones that emphasize physical presence over classical idealization.