Jongen staand op monster 1640

Donus Michael Angelus Trappa Brixius made this pen drawing, titled ‘Jongen staand op monster’, in 1640. The drawing depicts a boy standing on a monster and includes the artist's signature and the inscription "Fecit ano 1640". The image creates meaning through cultural references of the time. The monster may reflect the anxieties of the unknown and the challenges faced by the emerging Baroque society. The boy's act of standing on the monster suggests dominance over these challenges, in line with the Baroque era's emphasis on human triumph and divine order. The signature places the artist within a community and tradition of skilled artisans, claiming authorship and skill. To understand the drawing better, research into the cultural and intellectual environment of 17th-century Europe is essential. This is because the meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.