Ontwerp voor een plafond met vijf mythologische voorstellingen 1680 - 1757

This is Mattheus Terwesten’s design for a ceiling with five mythological scenes, created with pen in brown ink. Terwesten lived through shifting social structures, as the Dutch Golden Age gave way to new cultural influences from France. Consider how the figures, rendered in dramatic foreshortening, are set against a backdrop of swirling clouds and ornate architectural details, alluding to classical mythology. While these scenes might seem purely decorative, they reflect the values and aspirations of the elite who commissioned such works. Who were these patrons, and what did they hope to communicate through these images? The mythological themes, often drawn from Ovid's "Metamorphoses," explore narratives of transformation, power, and desire. Mythological scenes offered a way for artists and patrons alike to negotiate questions of identity. Terwesten uses traditional imagery, yet the emotional depth of the figures invites us to consider the human dimensions of these stories. Through this design, Terwesten invites us to look up and imagine the stories and values that shaped his world.