Carnaval te Antwerpen 1671 - 1720

Gonzales van Heylen’s pen and wash drawing depicts the Carnival festivities in Antwerp, likely completed in the late 17th or early 18th century. The scene unfolds amidst the city’s distinctive gabled houses, capturing a moment of communal revelry. Carnival, as a pre-Lenten festival, was deeply rooted in the social fabric of Antwerp, a city with a rich history of trade and cultural exchange. The drawing offers a glimpse into the dynamics of class and social order during that time. The presence of a stage suggests organized performances, a public spectacle that would have drawn crowds from all walks of life. Note the figures on horseback, possibly signifying nobility, positioned prominently within the composition. What was their relationship to the figures throwing objects and dancing in the street? Art historians rely on a wealth of archival sources, from municipal records to personal correspondence, to fully understand the cultural significance of such images. These enable the study of art as a reflection of, and a participant in, the social and political life of its time.