Vignet met Poëzie met lier en zwaan in landschap met omlijsting 1727 - 1793

Leendert Brasser created this vignette with poetry using etching in the late 18th century. This artwork is titled "Vignet met Poëzie met lier en zwaan in landschap met omlijsting," which gives us clues about its social and cultural context. The presence of the lyre, swan, and idyllic landscape reflects the Neoclassical movement sweeping Europe at the time. It was a period that favored reason, order, and a revival of classical art and literature. Made in the Netherlands, the image reflects the cultural values of the Dutch Republic, which emphasized education, scholarship, and artistic expression. Institutions like the university at Leiden helped to foster such a cultural climate. Historical research into the cultural and intellectual life of the Dutch Republic would help us to understand this artwork and its meaning.