Simon Novellanus

Simon Novellanus was a printmaker active during the late sixteenth century, documented primarily through works dating to the year 1590. His surviving corpus consists mainly of prints that integrate detailed landscape elements with subjects drawn from classical mythology.

The thematic focus of Novellanus's compositions centers on narratives featuring mythological figures within extensive natural settings. His works often capture dramatic moments or sequential mythological events, demonstrating a consistent interest in classical sources. Specific known compositions include River Landscape with Daedalus and Icarus, River Landscape with the Fall of Icarus, and related subjects such as River Landscape with Mercury Abducting Psyche and River Landscape with Mercury and Psyche. Another noted work is After the Shipwreck.

The significance of the artist’s output is established by the presence of his work in prominent international collections. Eight Simon Novellanus prints are represented in major museum holdings, including the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. As historical graphic works, many of Novellanus's compositions are now available in the public domain, allowing for the widespread reproduction of high-quality prints and scholarship regarding his role in late sixteenth-century printmaking.