Figuren in zeventiende-eeuwse kleding c. 1846 - 1882

Cornelis Springer made this pencil drawing, "Figures in Seventeenth-Century Clothing," during the 19th century in the Netherlands. Springer was known for his cityscapes, often depicting scenes from the 17th and 18th centuries. This drawing seems to be a preparatory sketch, perhaps for a larger painting. The figures are dressed in the fashion of the Dutch Golden Age, an era of great economic and cultural prosperity for the Netherlands. Springer's interest in this earlier period reflects a broader trend in 19th-century art, which saw many artists looking back to previous eras for inspiration. This could be seen as a way of commenting on the present by evoking a idealized past. The institutions of art played a role, too: art academies, for example, encouraged artists to study the works of the Old Masters. The historian can study these figures through costume books, social histories, and archival records. Through such research, we can understand the social codes embedded in their clothes and poses, and appreciate Springer's own commentary.