Nis met putti die een buste lauweren 1760 - 1819

Editor: This is Jurriaan Andriessen’s "Nis met putti die een buste lauweren," made sometime between 1760 and 1819 using ink and watercolor. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The drawing feels really ornate, with these little cherubs adorning a bust. It almost feels like it's meant to be celebratory. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a very self-conscious exercise in image-making, typical of the period. Consider where this drawing would have been viewed. More likely than not, it existed in the domestic sphere or in a print shop, as this drawing’s creation mirrors the socio-political obsession of the era to resurrect antiquity. Do you notice the niche framing the figures? Editor: Yeah, the arch shape at the top, right? Curator: Exactly! Notice that it doesn't exist to contain the artwork, but to situate the piece as an important cultural artifact. The placement suggests the home of a wealthy person. That suggests an interesting comment about the power dynamics involved in creating and enjoying art during the period. Does it look particularly "original" to you? Editor: I guess not really? Now that you mention it, I've definitely seen works like it before, but not exactly. Curator: Precisely. The appeal lay not in groundbreaking originality but in tasteful iteration of classical themes and styles. This imagery becomes something that establishes you as a particular sort of cultured, educated person. Editor: That’s a cool way to think about it! I was really focused on just the figures and how pretty the lines are. But placing it in its historical context, you really understand how imagery also operates on the level of class. Curator: Exactly. I'm glad to hear that you came away with a better appreciation for how image making and taste are affected by social structures!