Studie van een vrouwenhoofd 1710 - 1767

Leonard Schenk created this image, "Study of a Woman's Head," using etching sometime between 1696 and 1767. It is a study, as the name suggests, not a portrait of anyone, but a study of an ideal. Schenk worked in the Netherlands during the Dutch Golden Age, when art was supported by wealthy merchants, not just the church or aristocracy. Classical art was admired and collected by the upper middle classes. This study is a type of classical, idealized beauty, with its regular features and careful shading. It reflects the period's interest in ancient Greece and Rome and the perfection they represented. We might want to compare it to other images of women at the time, to learn more about the aesthetic values of the Dutch Golden Age. The museum's records could tell us more about where Schenk fits into the art world of his time.