Horses' Heads 1624 - 1663

Francesco Allegrini made this drawing, *Horses' Heads,* sometime in the 17th century. It is rendered in pen and brown ink on a paper of modest size. The image encapsulates the cultural status of the horse in early modern Europe. Horses were associated with nobility and warfare. To render horses well was a way for an artist to signal their skill and knowledge. Allegrini was part of a Roman artistic culture that prized classical ideals and the patronage of powerful families. The drawing's existence also points to the rise of the art market and the collecting of drawings in this period. Many artists maintained studios where drawings like this were produced, collected in albums, and sold to connoisseurs. Understanding the role of drawing academies and the collecting habits of the Roman elite is key to understanding this image. This is where art history comes in, drawing on inventories, biographies, and social histories to illuminate the conditions that shaped artistic production.