Toebereidselen voor een feest gewijd aan Venus 1667 - 1670

Gerard de Lairesse made this preparatory drawing in pen, brush and grey ink for a print in the Netherlands, most likely towards the end of the 17th century. The drawing depicts preparations for a feast dedicated to Venus, the Roman goddess of love, beauty, and desire. The image is filled with classical motifs—columns, urns, and idealized human figures. It draws on a classical tradition to idealize love and beauty. The Netherlands, then a major center for printing and publishing, saw a boom in classicizing imagery at this time. This print served a specific social function, providing a refined, idealized vision of society for domestic consumption. To better understand this drawing, one might look at books of classical imagery available at the time, as well as at the printmaking industry and the cultural institutions and social values that supported it. By understanding the context, we can consider the social role of art in shaping cultural values.