Sculptuur van de kuise Venus 1646 - 1670

This is Hubert Quellinus’ “Sculpture of the Chaste Venus,” an engraving produced in the Netherlands during the 17th century. Here we have a rendering of the Roman goddess of love and beauty. But this Venus is, as the title tells us, chaste. The Netherlands in the 1600s was a republic which was in many ways socially progressive, but it was also deeply shaped by the rise of Calvinism, a branch of Protestantism which emphasized piety and modesty. The artist here makes visual reference to the religious sensibilities of his time through the theme of female chastity. He also reflects ongoing debates among intellectuals in the Dutch Republic regarding classical ideals and Christian virtues. As historians, we can consult period documents like religious pamphlets, philosophical treatises, and the records of artistic academies to gain insight into the complex social dynamics that shaped the production and reception of this image. What the work means is contingent on the culture that made it.