Twee schapenkoppen 1646 - 1672

Adriaen van de Velde made this drawing of two sheep heads with pen and brush in the Netherlands, sometime around the mid-17th century. At this time, the Dutch Republic was experiencing its Golden Age, an era of unprecedented prosperity and artistic output. The country’s transformation from a Spanish colony to a leading economic power created a new class of wealthy merchants who acquired art to display their status. Van de Velde, like many of his contemporaries, specialized in genre scenes and landscapes, reflecting the growing interest in the everyday life of the Dutch people. Although this drawing might seem like just a study, animal portraits were in high demand as emblems of rural life. Artists captured the essence of the Dutch countryside, which was becoming a source of national pride. By looking at the artist's other works and studying Dutch art history, we can better understand how this seemingly simple drawing fits into the broader social and cultural context of its time.