Buste van Minerva 1646 - 1670

Editor: So, this is "Buste van Minerva," made between 1646 and 1670 by Hubert Quellinus. It’s an engraving, sitting here in the Rijksmuseum. The detail is incredible; it looks so much like a sculpture! It’s very…austere. What leaps out at you? Curator: Austere, yes, but powerful too. For me, it's about the layers of symbolism. We’ve got Minerva, of course, the Roman goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare—Athena to the Greeks. But Quellinus hasn't just given us a straightforward portrait. He’s playing with layers of representation. Notice the lion skin? What does that suggest to you? Editor: Hmm, Hercules maybe? Because he's usually depicted wearing a lion's skin? Curator: Exactly! So we have Minerva, conflated with a symbol of Herculean strength. Power and wisdom combined! It's classic Baroque – theatrical, intellectual, and designed to impress. Also, consider it's an engraving mimicking sculpture – further layering the artifice. Do you think that was successful? Editor: Definitely. Without knowing, I might think I was looking at a drawing *of* a sculpture. That lion is ferocious. Are the figures on top of her helmet also symbolic? Curator: Good eye! The figures may reference the arts and sciences under Minerva’s protection – subtle, but reinforces the wisdom theme. You see, it’s more than just a pretty picture; it’s a statement about power, knowledge, and the very nature of art itself. How does that sit with your initial feeling of austerity? Editor: It makes sense! Austere but powerful, thoughtful and clever… Suddenly I appreciate it much more, as an intellectual statement rather than just a stern portrait. Curator: Precisely! And isn't that the joy of art? Always offering new perspectives.