Buste van een vrouw met een krans in het haar 1646 - 1670

Hubert Quellinus created this engraving titled 'Buste van een vrouw met een krans in het haar', which translates to "Bust of a woman with a wreath in her hair", and it's currently held in the Rijksmuseum. Notice how Quellinus uses crosshatching to build form and suggest shadow. The evenness of the lines creates a subtle tonal range, focusing our attention on the subject's classical features. This use of line is more than representational; it's a structural element defining the artwork’s aesthetic language. The bust itself, framed by a circular niche, recalls ancient Roman sculptures, embodying an ideal of beauty. The wreath suggests triumph or virtue, common in classical iconography, yet here, it's rendered with a softness that invites a more intimate reading. Quellinus uses these classical elements not just to replicate an image, but to evoke a sense of timelessness.