Portrait of Andries de Graeff 1661

Artus Quellinus created this marble portrait bust of Andries de Graeff. Working with marble requires immense skill. Quellinus would have started by selecting a high-quality block, free from imperfections. The process likely began with roughing out the form using tools like a point chisel and mallet. Progressively finer tools would then be used to refine the details, like the distinctive curls of de Graeff’s hair. Note the deep undercuts - the sign of a true virtuoso. The choice of marble is significant. It was a costly material, befitting a man of de Graeff’s stature. Marble also has a timeless quality, suggesting permanence and power. Quellinus's technical mastery transforms a raw material into a lasting symbol of wealth and status, intertwining artistic skill with social and economic forces. This bust serves as a reminder that all art is fundamentally rooted in the world of materials, labor, and social context.