Aarde 1650 - 1699

Cornelis Hellemans created this small engraving, titled "Aarde" which means Earth in Dutch, as part of a series representing the four elements. Here, Hellemans embodies the earth through an abundance of cherubic figures, symbols of innocence and purity, entwined with garlands of foliage. At the base we see the word ‘Terra’, Latin for Earth, which nods to the classical tradition of personifying elements and virtues, but here we get a distinctly Baroque exuberance. Consider the historical context: in the Dutch Golden Age, the relationship to the land was both one of pride and anxiety. As the Dutch expanded their territories, they transformed landscapes, often at the expense of native populations. This print then, can be seen as a visual negotiation. It presents an idealized vision of nature, fertile and abundant, while perhaps subtly hinting at the complex, and sometimes fraught, relationship between humans and the Earth. It asks us to consider what it means to cultivate, to control, and ultimately, to represent nature.