Geometrische opstelling van blokjes en lijnen c. 1816 - 1846

Adrianus Johannes Bik made this geometrical study with graphite. Its meaning might appear enigmatic to us now, but it reflects a growing interest in the underlying geometries of the world, and the institutionalisation of drawing as a skill. This sketch of lines and blocks would have been made in the Netherlands, probably in the first half of the 19th century. It would have been a time when the Dutch state was consolidating after the Napoleonic wars, and institutions such as the art academy were becoming increasingly important in shaping artistic production. The kind of drawing that's on display here was vital to a new conception of the artist, one with a mastery of geometry and perspective. We can look at the archives of art academies in the Netherlands, and at the changing social status of artists, to get a better understanding of the social conditions in which art was made. Understanding this history means that we can see the meaning of art as something shaped by its social and institutional context.