Album met voorstellingen van antieke en Renaissance reliëfs after 1680

Here, at the Rijksmuseum, is an album comprised of representations of antique and Renaissance reliefs, made by diverse makers. These reliefs, immortalizing figures and scenes, were a powerful means of shaping cultural memory. Consider the role of antiquity and the Renaissance as periods of cultural and artistic flourishing, and how they were selectively revived and reinterpreted across Europe. Exploring images of classical sculpture becomes more nuanced when we consider the politics of collecting, display, and interpretation. The album's existence invites us to consider the value placed on these historical artifacts. Who was the intended audience? How did these images shape their understanding of history, power, and identity? The very act of compiling these images speaks to a desire to preserve, study, and perhaps even emulate the artistic achievements of the past. How do we navigate the complex interplay between past and present, representation and reality, and the power dynamics embedded within these visual records?