Olifantenschaal 1820

This is 'Olifantenschaal' by Pierre-Nicolas Beauvallet. Made with delicate lines, the drawing presents a series of classical motifs, seemingly extracted from different objects or sculptural works, arranged in a scattered composition. The eye is immediately drawn to the titular 'Olifantenschaal' or Elephant Scale, which dominates the composition and exhibits the opulence of its classical inspiration. The lines delineating the piece suggest a commitment to structure and symmetry. The careful arrangement of the scattered elements across the page is not without intent, and the drawing invites the viewer to consider how these disparate forms might be related. By juxtaposing these forms, Beauvallet destabilizes established meanings. We are left not with fixed interpretations but with an invitation to engage with art as an ongoing process of inquiry.