Buste van Amor

Hubert Quellinus made this print of a bust of Amor in the Netherlands in the 17th century. The idealized portrayal of Cupid taps into the humanist interest in classical antiquity that was prevalent in the Dutch Golden Age. This was a period of immense social and economic change, and the art market was developing rapidly. Artists began to specialize in particular genres, and printmaking allowed for wider circulation of images. The Rijksmuseum, where this print is housed, was established much later, in the 19th century, as a national institution to showcase Dutch art and history. Understanding this print requires us to consider the social conditions that shaped its production and reception, as well as the institutional frameworks that have preserved and interpreted it over time. To do so, we can turn to archival records, period publications, and art historical scholarship.