The Dance Around the Golden Calf

Lucas van Leyden (1494–1533) was as important for his age as Rembrandt was for the 17th century. He introduced the Renaissance to the Netherlands and was influenced by both Dürer and Raphael. His paintings are lively, colorful, and full of narrative; his prints are refined and playful. The triptych The Dance around the Golden Calf (c. 1530) is one of his best-known works, and in this detailed study, Jan Piet Filedt Kok, the leading expert on Lucas van Leyden, explores the sources, iconography, narrative, and technique of this remarkable work.