Buste van een vrouw met paardenstaart 1646 - 1670

Curator: Standing before us is a print dating back to the late 17th century, entitled "Buste van een vrouw met paardenstaart," or "Bust of a Woman with a Ponytail" by Hubert Quellinus, housed right here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It has this crisp, neoclassical composure about it, even a kind of chaste mood. The limited tonal range adds to the marble-like quality, don’t you think? Curator: Precisely. Quellinus was part of a family of artists deeply enmeshed in Amsterdam's artistic scene. What strikes me most is the artist's intent; prints like this were often created as independent works of art. There’s a fascinating tension between the intimacy of the portrait and the desire for broader dissemination through print. Editor: It’s skillfully executed. Notice the controlled gradation achieved through line density— it gives volume and form. Also, observe how the simplified backdrop emphasizes the clean contours of the bust. Curator: I find it interesting that Quellinus seemingly deliberately references classical statuary. This artistic decision underscores not only the importance of classical forms but also speaks to the values that the emerging bourgeois society projected upon the Dutch Republic: notions of reason, restraint, and order. Editor: Yes, that restrained elegance certainly speaks of an attempt to reconcile domestic portraiture with ideals taken from classical sculpture. Though the face could have had a bit more modeling? Perhaps to bring more emotional range into her expression, but maybe the neutrality is the entire point here. Curator: A print such as this would circulate amongst the rising merchant class and intellectuals; disseminating tastes and ideals. Imagine the conversations these prints would spark about not just art, but the place of women in Dutch society. Editor: A very well captured synthesis of both form and dissemination! Curator: I agree completely. It serves as a remarkable case study for any visitor to ponder on artistic style, influence and its societal echoes of the time.