Landschap met een luitspelende vrouw en een vrouw die naar een klassieke zuil wijst 1751 - 1816

Reinier Vinkeles, who was born in Amsterdam, made this print of two women in a landscape, using etching and engraving. This work reflects the values of its time by depicting its figures in classical drapery and setting them in a pastoral landscape with classical ruins. The woman on the left gestures toward the column, while the other woman is seated under a tree with a lute. The image is likely inspired by the art and literature of ancient Greece and Rome, which was admired during this period. Vinkeles worked during the Enlightenment, a period when reason and classical ideals were highly valued. We can imagine that he would want to use classical imagery to celebrate reason, order, and harmony in his work. As an art historian, further research into Vinkeles’ artistic training and the specific classical sources that influenced him would enhance our understanding of this print. This work reminds us that art always emerges from a particular historical context.