Putti voeren de wapens van Hercules ten hemel 1680 - 1757

Mattheus Terwesten made this drawing called "Putti voeren de wapens van Hercules ten hemel" with pen in brown ink and brush in brown and gray. We see cherubic figures carrying Hercules' weapons to heaven. In the Dutch Republic during Terwesten’s time, the heroic and the divine were often intertwined. The image creates meaning through its visual codes, referencing classical mythology, which was a sign of learning and status at the time. The drawing also speaks to the cultural and political life of the Dutch Republic, which was deeply invested in its self-image as a new Rome. In terms of institutional history, Terwesten, who was a well-known figure in the art world of his time, spent time at The Hague Drawing Academy and in Rome. This drawing reflects those institutions and social conditions through his use of classical imagery and allegorical language. Art historians consult period documents to understand the context, and appreciate art as contingent on its social and institutional context.