Landschap met een leeuw in een ovaal 1592

This etching of a landscape with a lion was created by Paul Flindt in the Netherlands around the turn of the 17th century. The image is dominated by ornamentation, typical of the period. It is important to remember that early modern Dutch art was shaped by a specific set of social and political circumstances. This was a period of intense religious and political conflict, marked by the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule. The lion itself carries meaning as it is a symbol that has appeared on the Dutch coat of arms since the Middle Ages. Looking at the image with a social historian's eye reveals the intersection of artistic expression and national identity. The Rijksmuseum's collection of prints and drawings provides invaluable resources for understanding the cultural and institutional contexts in which art was created and consumed in the Netherlands. The study of such objects is a valuable resource for any historian.