Bas-reliëf met de dronken Silenus 1727

Matthijs Pool created this small relief, depicting a drunken Silenus, using etching. The image reflects the Dutch Republic's fascination with classical mythology, filtered through its own cultural lens. Silenus, a figure often associated with revelry, embodies the themes of pleasure and excess that permeated much of Dutch art. Flanked by satyrs, the imagery raises questions about the performance of masculinity and power. Is it a celebration of hedonism, or a commentary on its consequences? The social and political tensions of the time - the growing merchant class, the strict Calvinist values, the ever-present temptations of earthly pleasures - are all subtly interwoven here. Perhaps the artwork can be a starting point for reflecting on the cultural significance of intoxication, and the ways in which it both liberates and constrains.