Design for an Overdoor or Chimney Piece with an Armorial Trophy and the Figure of Minerva 18th century

This drawing was made with pen and brown ink, with gray wash over graphite, and it depicts a design for an overdoor or chimney piece with an armorial trophy and the figure of Minerva. The visual codes in this image point to a desire to communicate power. Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare, and her presence in an overdoor or chimney piece was intended to associate the commissioner of the work with these virtues. In the absence of the artist's and commissioner's names, it is difficult for us to place this image within a specific moment of cultural history. However, the composition and iconography, combined with the institutional setting in which it would have been displayed, give some indication of its function within a social setting. This is the self-conscious display of status, using the visual language of classical antiquity. Without documentary sources, we can only guess at the identities of those involved in its creation. The historian can consider the social context, and the visual language of this artwork to interpret it. The meaning of such an image is contingent on the cultural context in which it was created.